Fascinated
by thehuntress53
Summary: The war is over, the world is dark, can fate overcome? Will their love survive the terrifying world they now live in? Will their bond be strong enough to withstand the darkness?
1. Tangled

Part One

Fascinated

By:

TheHuntress53 and Arendora

~Author's Note: This has been yet another huge collaboration and I would love to thank all who have helped. Arendora for stepping in when I really needed help and helping to really bring this story to where it is today. Savedprincess85 for always and forever being my beta. and last but never least Silver Lioness for the fantastic cover she created for us. I am eternally grateful to all of you.

So without further ado, as always J.K. Rowling own the Harry Potter world, it characters, original plot and ending. I simply borrowed them for no financial gain. I only wanted to have fun. Please enjoy!~

Tangled

The world did not end in a bang or a whisper, but rather one scream at a time. The war was over. Harry Potter boldly died as he fought valiantly against Lord Voldemort. The world was dark as Death Eaters spent their days rounding up Muggle-born witches and wizards and burning down half of the Wizarding world in retaliation for the Order's defiance. Hermione's parents had been killed by Death Eaters in an attempt to lure her out, almost immediately after the Battle of Hogwarts. It almost worked, too. Hermione had become melancholy and withdrawn after that.

Ron distanced himself from her after receiving death threats to himself and his family. He even went so far as to threaten to turn her over to Snatchers if she dared to contact them again. Molly had been even more protective of her family once Fred died in the Battle of Hogwarts. Her other friends were all afraid to even communicate with her, in fear they would have Death Eaters attack their homes and families. She had been, and still remained, the most wanted Muggle-born in all of Wizarding Britain. She was well and truly alone.

Lucius thought back to the day he lost his wife. Narcissa was sent to check Harry Potter for signs of life after the Dark Lord hit him with the Avada Kedavra. They left Potter in the forest to fade into history; death had been easy for Potter, at least according to the Dark Lord. On the walk from the forest to the castle, Bellatrix used legilimency on her exhausted sister and saw something that caused her to kill her sister, in cold blood. Draco, having seen everything, killed his aunt. The dead sisters were hidden by Draco until he could find his father.

Voldemort's fury had been palpable, but he did not know it had been one of his own Death Eaters that had caused the demise of his favorite lieutenant. With a single spell, he demolished most of Hogwarts and nearly everyone that had been within her walls. The war was far from over, but the battle that changed the world had already been won.

Lucius, even in his grief, continued to rally with the Dark Lord's crusade against the Muggle-borns and Muggle-born sympathizers. He spent his days tracking blood traitors and mudblood's across Europe, yet his life seemed empty and void. He kept up appearances, having no choice, but his loyalty had long since abated with the death of his wife and a bond he felt blooming, even if he didn't want to admit it's existence. Nothing seemed to make sense any longer; his life had truly turned on its axis, and he didn't know how to correct it. He drank too much, his haggard appearance decreasing as each tedious day passed.

Lucius watched as Draco was put in charge of the many Muggleborn camps spread throughout Europe. He could even see a child-like enjoyment on his son's face as Draco worked relentlessly to capture the most famous Muggleborn, Hermione Granger, who had escaped during the Battle of Hogwarts. Draco's work towards finding Hermione caused much turmoil within Lucius' mind. He wanted nothing more than for her to be captured; however, he did not want to see her caught at the hands of his unhinged heir.

Lucius and Draco had been assigned to keep track of Hermione; with their personal experience with Granger, they had insight other Death Eaters lacked. Lucius was equally fascinated and frustrated by the impertinent chit, she had already evaded capture for more than two years, if he included the year prior to the Battle of Hogwarts. He assigned every available Snatcher in search of her. And yet he felt an unexplainable need to work damn hard to consistently misdirect them from getting too close to her trail. He wanted to be the one to bring her in, to keep her safe. Something in him wanted to keep her safe.

But sometimes, even the best laid plans can fail.

Hermione was running again. The air in her lungs felt like frozen shards of glass, but she knew she had to keep running. She had been careless trying to steal food from a bakery and caught the attention of Scabior and his merry band if Snatchers.

The incarcerous spell hit her as she crested the hill into the village of Ottery St. Catchpole. She rolled down the hill, bruising her nose and collarbone.

"Hello again, beautiful," Scabior's grimy, diseased teeth and putrid breath invaded her already ravaged lungs, making her gag. She was on the verge of vomiting even before he walked in front of her and smiled.

"I could have gotten you a fantastic deal on dental work, Scabior, but now I am afraid it's a moot point since you murdered the people who could fix them." She grimaced, hating to even think about her parents.

"I wouldn't let no muggles touch me mouth, Mudblood!" he yelled in her face, spit landed on her bruised nose.

"Pity, it would have at least improved the smell," Hermione retorted as she struggled against the ropes that bound her.

"I could smell you all day, beautiful, even though you are a filthy Mudblood whore. Maybe the Dark Lord will let me keep you, aye? You could be my pet. I will even put a nice collar on you and let you sleep at the foot of my bed." Scabior chuckled darkly as he checked the ropes to make sure that they were tight.

"I would rather sleep in a pig pen. It would probably be cleaner!" She shouted. She wriggled around to try to break the spell and failed spectacularly. Her magic was weakened due to malnourishment. She had been on the run for two years, and she was simply exhausted.

"Let me go!" she yelled at him again as he stepped in front of her.

"Not this time, girly. This time you go directly to the Dark Lord himself." A cold shiver ran down Hermione's spine. She was terrified, but she used every ounce of self control she had left not to cry in front of this lecherous bastard.

"Good, anything to get away from you," she spat.

Scabior hauled her petite frame off of the ground and threw her over his shoulder. He smacked her backside with a loud thwack when she thrashed about attempting to get away. He and the others began walking to the nearest apparition point.

"Be still or I'll let Greyback hold you," Scabior growled. Hermione recognized the danger in that statement and immediately fell limp.

"Why do you do this, Scabior? You are a fairly decent looking guy. I am sure you could get a job doing almost anything," she asked, hoping to make him think about his actions.

"It's none of your business now is it, beautiful," he taunted.

"Will you _please_ stop calling me beautiful, it's quite unnerving," she asked scathingly.

Scabior chuckled and squeezed her left buttcheek. "You don't know you are beautiful, do you?"

"Because I am not beautiful. I am intelligent, and I am useful. There is a huge difference, and stop touching my behind," Hermione muttered.

"Yeah, you are those too. I happen to like your arse, its taut," Scabior laughed.

"Ugh! How revolting!" she groaned.

"You need me to carry the girly, Scabior?" Greyback howled with laughter as he turned to eye Hermione's backside as well. "If she gets to heavy, I can hold her; I want to bite that nice round arse of hers!"

"I have absolutely no interest in being mauled by a rabid wolf, thank you very much," Hermione mocked.

"No, Greyback! The Dark Lord wants this one alive and unharmed, and that is what she will be," Scabior said through tight lips. "You know where to apparate, now go!"

Greyback apparated away only seconds before Scabior and Hermione did. After the squeeze of apparition, they landed outside an enormous manor on the Clogher Nagore Bog in Ireland. The air was thick with fog, so thick, almost, that it could suffocate. The grounds were overgrown and eerie looking. 'Very fitting.' Hermione thought as a chill ran down her spine. She noticed that the house was on an island with the bog surrounding it. It chilled her to the core to know that without her wand, she'd have to cross the bog in order to escape. Scabior carried her, walking alongside Greyback, down a broken path to the large mansion. They were stopped about three hundred feet from the manor by wards and a great iron gate. Severus Snape was on the other side of the gate, waiting rather impatiently.

"We have Hermione Granger for the Dark Lord." Scabior hissed out to Snape.

Hermione was shocked to see her erstwhile Potion's professor at the gates of Voldemort's hideout. She hadn't seen him since the Battle of Hogwarts. She'd thought he had died. Obviously, she had been wrong.

Snape nodded and with a wave of his wand the wards were lifted, and the gate opened. They walked through and the gate which immediately closed once more. Snape waved his wand to raise the wards once more. They continued on the path to the mansion, reaching the door quickly. Greyback knocked on the door. Moments later, the door was answered by Rowle.

"We have the Granger girl." Greyback growled.

Rowle nodded and stepped aside to allow them to enter the manor. The two men walked in, Scabior was still carrying Hermione, who's heart had now begun to pound in terror. She was too close to meeting Lord Voldemort in person, and she wasn't even remotely ready. She was fucking terrified.

Greyback and Scabior made an immediate left and walked down a corridor that seemed to go on forever. Her view of the floor and lower walls allowed her to see that everything was done in black and grey stone. There were not many identifying features on the walls. They finally made another left and entered the grand dining room. Hermione could feel the heavy oppression of dark magic as they walked in the room; she knew Voldemort was there. In fear and against her better judgment, she began to struggle again.

Suddenly, Scabior deposited her hard on her back at Voldemort's feet. Hermione froze, rooted in dread. She simply stared up at him. Scabior didn't release the ropes binding her.

Voldemort sneered at Hermione, "Well, well, well. Not so strong now are you? I knew we'd catch you eventually. Now the question is, what do we do with you?" he taunted her cruelly.

Hermione remained silent. She laid there and trembled at his feet, terrified of what his plans for her would be. As the war continued, Voldemort's cruelty had grown; he became more and more unhinged in his thinking and actions.

Voldemort waved his wand at her, "Crucio," he hissed. Hermione burst out in to an agonized scream. The pain coursing through her was worse than anything she had ever felt before.

"**_Bones breaking - muscles on fire - can't breathe. Oh Gods, I am going to die. Help! Help! Help!" _**She screamed inwardly.

She wanted desperately to claw at whatever she could, preferably Voldemort's flesh, but she was still tied up, forced to stay in one spot and endure his torture. The ropes felt like fire against her skin. The monster released her from the pain of the Cruciatus.

"Imperio," Voldemort said calmly as he released Hermione's bonds.

"**_No! No! Please! Not this!"_** She screamed inwardly as the Imperius curse took hold of her, **_"I need to fight this! I can't let him do this to me. Harry taught us how to fight this in Fifth year. I can do this."_**

Voldemort used the curse to force her to stand, then he had her walk to the table and sit in a chair. "Now I could award you to one of my Death Eaters, or," he mused as he paused momentarily to take his seat opposite her, "I could send you to one of the Muggle-born camps. Hmm, this choice is intriguing. And I haven't been intrigued in a long time," he said with an eager grin upon his face.

"**_Oh Gods! Neither sounds appealing. But please not the camp, I might be able to survive if I go to one of the Death Eaters, depending on whom it is." _**she thought to herself.

Hermione's voice broke through weakly as she fought the Imperius still placed upon her, "Please, sir, if you wouldn't mind, I would like to make a request."

"Is that so?" Voldemort responded to her with a cynical look on his face. Shock was evident on his scaley pale face. She knew his shock was because she was fighting him off. It must have been a long time since anyone had fought him like this.

She nodded but did not speak, she waited as patiently as her panicked mind would allow for him to give her permission to speak.

"You may make your request, though I make no guarantees," he conceded, intrigue lacing his voice.

Voldemort watched her. If ever there was a time to be strong, it was now. She was worth something to him if she was strong enough to fight his magic.

"If it so pleases you, I would like to go to one of your followers, please sir," she requested quietly.

"Hmmm. I may be able to accommodate that request, Ms Granger, but for now, we eat," he commented.

Hermione's Imperiused body nodded, and as she did, the food appeared on the table. She was not allowed to eat the food though, as Voldemort placed a cloth napkin in his lap he sneered at her as if to challenge her to fight to eat. She was revolted to be sitting at the table with the vile snake of a man.

Voldemort motioned for Greyback to come forward, and whispered to him. Greyback turned and left the room. The Dark Lord began eating the mounds of food piled on top of the solid oak table. Dolohov, Rowle, the Lestrange brothers, and Rookwood were all present at the table, Hermione noted in her muddled mind. Moments later, Greyback returned and walked quickly to Voldemort's side; he whispered to him, and Voldemort nodded his approval.

Voldemort trained his wand on her again. Hermione had no chance to prepare herself when he said, ."Stupify," effectively knocking the already pliant girl unconscious.

Voldemort watched as the unconscious girl hit the floor with a sickening thud, a poisonous grin splitting his face, at the exact moment Lucius Malfoy walked through the door of the dining hall.

"Ah, Lucius, thank you for coming on such short notice," he rasped out.

"Of course, my Lord," Lucius groveled with a low, humble bow, careful to hide his thoughts about seeing Granger at the Dark Lord's feet. "What can I do to serve you, my Lord?" he asked, straightening to his normal ramrod posture.

"We have captured the Granger girl, as you can see. I am giving you the choice: send her to a camp or take her as your slave. She will be yours to do with as you see fit," he explained.

"Thank you, for the consideration, my Lord, I am quite humbled by your generosity," Lucius said with a slight bow of his head. "I shall take her. I never know when I may need the assistance of a Mudblood to do some dirty work."

"Lord Voldemort rewards those who serve him," Voldemort hissed coldly. "I will require to see the Mudblood occasionally. I need to test her; she intrigues me."

"Of course, my Lord, " Lucius bowed deeply.

"Mipsy," Lucius called out for his house elf, as he looked at the girl lying on the floor at their feet.

"Master calls Mipsy?" The small elf squeaked and bowed so low her nose touched the floor.

"Mipsy, take this girl and chain her to the chair in the dungeon. Ward her, put a body bind on her, do not allow her an inch to squirm. Understood?"

"Yes Master Lucius, Mipsy will chains the girl like you says," Mipsy squeaked out, not daring to disobey her master.

"Do not fail me elf, or I will put 20 lashes across your back side with a leather strap!" Mipsy squealed, grabbed Hermione and with a snap of her wrinkled hand they vanished.

"Thank you, again, my Lord," he spoke with another low and humble bow.

He walked out of the dining hall and couldn't help but seethe with anger, 'Now what am I to do with her,' he thought to himself. "I need a fucking drink," he growled under his breath as he stepped into the grate and threw a handful of floo powder. He went whirling away in the blink of an eye and a flurry of green back to Malfoy Manor.


	2. Dinner with the Devil

Dinner with the Devil

Lucius stepped out of the fireplace in his study and headed straight for his whiskey cabinet. He couldn't believe, after all his hard work to keep her safe and alive, Hermione was captured. He had been fascinated with her since the day she stood up to him in Flourish and Blotts the summer before her second year. From that day forward, he vowed to keep her safe, no matter what the consequences. He seethed with anger due to her stupidity in getting caught. Salazar, it seemed no matter what he did, her life wouldn't be safe in a Voldemort ruled world.

No matter how much he drank he couldn't forget about the girl he currently had tied to a chair in his dungeons. He knew he had to deal with her and that infuriated him more because he had no idea how. He stood abruptly, causing his head to spin momentarily, but he gained his composure quickly and stormed down to the dungeon.

He stepped in front of the unconscious girl, bound to the straight back chair, and slapped her across the face, effectively waking her with a jolt.

"Wake up, you ungrateful swot, " Lucius commanded through gritted teeth. She screamed in pain when she became aware of her surroundings. He watched as her eyes darted around looking for who had struck her. Upon seeing an irate Lucius in front of her, she shrunk away from him as far as she could anyway, being chained to a chair.

"How dare you! How dare you, you stupid, stupid twit! I have worked my arse off for years to ensure that you were safe, and you landed yourself right on your bum at the feet of the Dark Lord! What were you thinking? What in Merlin's name were you even doing to get caught?" he shouted at her in fury.

"I-I," she stammered. "Wait, what the bloody hell does it matter to you, and why in the world would you of all people be trying to keep me safe?" she bit back in confusion.

"For Merlin's sake girl! Can't you just be grateful and not spew a million idiotic questions?" He spit back, avoiding her questions altogether.

"Well excuse me, Mr. Malfoy, if you have never given me a reason to believe a damn thing you say," she replied scathingly.

His eyes mocked her, "I have never lied to you, Miss Granger. As a matter of fact, I have always been exceptionally truthful to you."

"Oh, so you still think I am a know-it-all, buck-tooth little swot, do you? Well, I think you are an arrogant, manipulative, arsehole with a God complex!" she screamed at him and spit in his face.

Lucius wiped the spittle off his face and swiftly wrapped his hand around her small throat, "I'm warning you!" he seethed, his face so close to hers that their noses nearly touched. His breath was hot against her face, the smell of fire whiskey wafted up her nose made her scrunch her face in disgust.

"You smell like a fucking pub on a Friday night, " Hermione choked out even as his hand squeezed tighter around her throat. "Let me go!" she breathed out haltingly, struggling to get a full breath.

"You know that isn't in my power to do, you silly girl. Just be thankful you are here and not in one of the Muggle-born camps," he told her with a smirk."You were captured and brought before the Dark Lord. I can't just let you fucking go free."

She stopped struggling against his fingers. Lucius could see her mind working overtime "Not like you will treat me any better. You've only ever treated me like an animal, because to you that is what I am, a stealer of magic," she muttered trying to turn her head away from Lucius to stare at the cold stone wall.

"How about I show you how it would be if I had let you go to a camp?" he asked her, sure she wouldn't want to experience such an atrocity. He could feel fear building in the back of his mind but didn't understand it, so just dismissed it.

Hermione remained silent, even with angry tears falling.

"Then I suggest you cooperate and follow my every order Miss Granger, otherwise life shall become exceedingly more miserable for you," Lucius said spitting right back into her face.

Lucius saw the moment that she realized that she had no choice. Her face showed defeat, but when she nodded her head in assurance of her cooperation, he saw her determination. He knew she would try to work on a way to escape.

Lucius unbound Hermione. "You will live here and serve me. You will follow every order given when it is given to you. In return, I shall ensure your safety. Understood?"

Hermione nodded, "Yes, Mr. Malfoy. I understand." she responded, her tone dismal.

He waved his wand to release the body bind over her. Then he grabbed her by the arm, his grip tight and pulled her to the stairs and out of the dungeons. He dragged her through what seemed like a maze of corridors and stairs, until he stopped them in front of an ornate cherry wood door. He opened the door and shoved her through it.

"You will stay here. The door will be locked at all times so don't even attempt to escape. I suggest a bath, you reek of dragon dung and troll piss," he instructed her with a disgusted look on his face.

Hermione looked up at him from where she had landed on the floor, "That's only because I've been on the run for years and man handled by your fellow Death Eaters. Maybe they should take baths more often," she bit out angrily, but nodded her head to show she understood his order. He ignored her taunt and turned, slammed the door behind him and sealed it with a wave of his wand.

Time for another drink, he thought to himself.

*

Hermione, finally alone and relatively safe for the time being, stood to her feet and looked in awe at the room he'd thrust her into. It had a magnificent oak four poster bed with emerald green bedding. The wardrobe was inlaid with shiny emeralds within an ornate carving of a serpent. Hermione scoffed at the blatant display of wealth and opulence.

Hermione opened the door to the ensuite bathroom expecting to see the same sickening display, but was met with an entirely different sight. Though it was gorgeous, the bathroom was dark in comparison to the room itself. Different shades of black and grey from floor to ceiling met her eyes, with a black clawfoot tub sitting in the center of the room. The toilet and sink were simple yet elegant, also shaded in black. The towels that hung in the bathroom were a slate grey.

Hermione walked over to the tub and turned on the tap. She watched as the deep tub was filled with steaming, hot water. She added some bubbles that she found on a shelf across from the tub. Removing her dirt covered clothing, she gingerly stepped into the water, taking care not to burn herself. Once fully submerged, Hermione took the opportunity to close her eyes. She had had a long day and was exhausted. And it had been a fucking long time since she had been able to take a bath.

She could have stayed in that tub forever, but the water had grown cold after only an hour. Hermione drained the water from it and carefully stepped out and wrapped herself with a towel. She was, however, unsure of what she could wear, since all that she owned was drowned in muck.

Curiously, Hermione opened the wardrobe. Inside were many dresses, all in various shades of black and grey. "Who's dreadful dresses are these, Bellatrix's?" The thought of the witch who had tortured her in this very home no longer caused her pain- she was numb to that memory. She shrugged her shoulders and took one from the wardrobe. The dress was too long and the bust was to big; she no longer had her wand to shrink it

"Couldn't be plainer, or bigger, but what did I expect?" she mumbled to herself. She knew she would be Lucius Malfoy's servant now. She may as well look the part, right? Since most of the Wizarding world seemed to live in the 1800s, she would fit right in with this dress.

She finished drying her body and dressed as quickly as she could given the plethora of tiny buttons down the back of the dress, which she buttoned from the front and spun around to correct it. "Merlin, I can see all the way to the floor through the dress," she complained.

Hermione gave up trying to find a way to make the dress fit properly and sat on the foot of the bed, holding the bodice up with her arms, unwilling to bare herself if Malfoy returned. She hadn't been sitting for long, when the door was flung open, startling her to her feet. Lucius came strutting through the door.

"At least you don't smell any longer," he commented, looking down his nose at her.

"Funny, because you still stink of arrogance," she said, folding her arms across her chest to keep the dress in place and stared at him with frustration etched on her face. "It's amazing you can sme-"

"Why you little-" he growled at her as he closed the distance between them in only a few steps. Before Hermione knew it, she was on the floor from the sheer force of the slap she had received, her words cut off mid-sentence.

Tears sprang to her eyes the instant he'd hit her. She cowered away from him, holding her face. She kept silent, despite the urge to taunt him more.

"Any more back talk from you, and you will regret it. I simply came to escort you to dinner," he told her angrily as he wrenched her up from the floor, the dress slipped down revealing more than she wished him to see. Her face bloomed in a wild blush.

"Bloody hell girl!" Lucius waved his wand in front of her shrinking the dress just enough so that it did not fall off of her body, he picked her up and threw her over his shoulder.

Hermione struggled in his arms. She used all her might to punch his back screaming, "Put me down! I'm fucking tired of being hauled around like a sack of potatoes!"

They had made it only a few feet outside her room, when his irritation got the better of him and slammed her down on her back. The breath was knocked out of her lungs, "You dare to touch me again, mudblood, and I will make you wish you'd never been born."

He wrenched her up again by the arm, harder than before, as he drug her to the dining room with a vice like grip. She winced in pain but allowed him to pull her behind him, only resisting to show he didn't control her.

*

He deposited her in a chair forcefully the moment they had gotten into the dining room. Then sat opposite her as he glared angrily at her. 'What gives her the right to say anything to me, much less tell me I am arrogant?' he thought to himself, still seething.

Their food appeared magically in front of them, and he began to eat. Upon seeing the plethora of food that had appeared on the table in front of her, Hermione's eyes widened and she quickly started to load her plate with food. Once her plate was full, she began to devour the food, seemingly without taking a breath. Lucius noticed this and gently placed his fork on the table, watching her with a concerned look on his face.

"Miss Granger, do slow down and have some dignity. This is not going to be your last meal." Lucius said looking down his nose at her.

Hermione swallowed the huge bite she'd had in her mouth with some difficulty, and looked up at him her face blushed slightly. She nodded her head and looked back down at her plate, she waited for the sound of his fork touching his plate before she began to eat again, this time much slower.

Several minutes of awkward silence stretched until she looked over the table at him and asked simply, "What is it you expect from me, Mr. Malfoy?"

He stopped eating to glance up at her, almost cringing at the innocent look upon her face. "I wish for you to be a slave here in the Manor. You will clean alongside the elves, this includes the Abraxan barn and the peacock aviary. You will also be at my beck and call, night or day for anything I decide you should do, no matter the request, no matter how difficult," he said matter-of-factly. He was very good at keeping his feelings hidden, so she would never see anything from him but disdain.

He had researched as far back in her family as possible. He had to find some hint of magical blood within her ancestry, and yet nothing. This made him determined to find some sign of her having stolen magic from a witch or wizard, yet he found nothing. She was, in all senses of the word, an anomaly and that fascinated him. Her brain fascinated him. He couldn't fathom how a Muggleborn witch could best his son at everything they did. How she could break into Bellatrix's vault with her friends and survive. But she had, and he wanted to know how that brain of hers worked.

"Oh," she said looking back to her plate of food. "I think I can handle that." she finished softly.

"We shall see. Eat." he commanded his voice barely above a whisper, yet the tone within it turned her veins to ice.

*

She looked dismally down at her plate. Now all she could do was think. Think about the regal man that sat so angrily in front of her, who claimed to have been keeping her safe for so many years, yet he sat there and told her she would be a slave in his home. His calmness and kindness in reminding her to slow her eating gave her whiplash.

He was, in all senses of the word, strange. To her, the idea of hate towards a whole race of people was unthinkable, yet he lived it. And that fascinated her, she needed to figure out how he did it. How could he watch as Voldemort murdered thousands of innocent people? How could he watch as Bellatrix tortured her and still manage to keep his stomach contents down? It made her sick just thinking about it, yet there he sat, and stared at her as if he was entirely innocent. But there was an inexplicable pull toward him in her heart. She, on some level, enjoyed being near him.

Hermione could feel the sting of him trying to enter her mind and quickly hid her thoughts behind the brick wall she'd learned to build. Although, unfortunately for her, he smashed that to billions of pieces in mere seconds.

Through no choice of her own, he had decided to sift through her thoughts and memories. Finding many personal thoughts she had about him, both good and bad. She could see exactly what he saw in her mind, and he seemed to focus solely on the terrible impression she had of him. She could feel his ire growing the more he searched her mind.

"A monster, huh?" He mused, "I'm sure that's a great way to describe the man who has ensured your safety for years," he said icily.

Hermione opened her mouth to speak but quickly snapped it shut, unable to find the correct words to say.

"Your ability to occlude is abysmal at best. I've seen toddlers who can do better." He taunted her, "We start your training tomorrow, once you've finished your work around the Manor. I don't care how tired you are."

"But, sir?" She began and realized he wouldn't allow her to challenge him in this when she saw the menacing look he gave her, "Yes, sir. I would like to know one thing, please," she said politely.

Lucius sighed in irritation, "If I answer your silly question, will you be quiet and eat?" He responded angrily.

With her nod, he waved his hand in his approval for her to speak.

"Why do you need to train me in occlumency at all?" She asked innocently.

"Do you want the Dark Lord to know your every thought? Including, the feelings stirred up by me that you want to ignore? You want to hide those feelings from the Dark Lord don't you, or would you prefer he knew?" He asked her, a sly smirk on his face.

Hermione's jaw dropped at his words as her face blushed crimson. "Uh, absolutely not!" She shouted in shock that he'd found those particular thoughts. She looked down, not wanting to watch him any longer, angry he'd had the nerve to sift through her private thoughts.

"The Dark Lord will penetrate your mind anytime he feels like and will not stop trying until he's satisfied he's seen what he's looking for. And he will not care how hurt, broken, or tired you are," Lucius explained calmly before he simply continued eating now ready to ignore the little swot. "I for one would think you would rather he not break you when he enters your mind. Thus we train."

Hermione, still entirely embarrassed by her own thoughts and that he'd forced himself into her mind, kept to her word and continued to eat the meal in front of her.

The two of them ate their dinner in absolute and awkward silence. Neither even risked a glance at the other.

Hermione was aware that Lucius was watching her eat even as he finished his meal. She saw understanding flicker in his eyes but was too absorbed in eating her fill to ask him what he was thinking. Her stomach was beginning to hurt with as much food she was eating, but she had been near starved when she had been captured.

"You don't have to finish the entire plate, Miss Granger," he noted softly, wiping his mouth with a cloth napkin.

Hermione glanced up, realized how quickly she was eating, and nodded before laying her spoon down. "It is quite a bit more than I have become accustomed to eating," she acknowledged, wiping her mouth with her napkin and placing it on her plate with a blush.

"I would like to know something, " he said as he folded his hands under his chin and stared hard at Hermione.

"Yes?" she responded quirking an eyebrow as she eyed him questioningly.

"Why do you keep fighting if everyone who stood against the Dark Lord is dead?"

"Who says everyone is dead? Just because they are believed to all be dead doesn't mean they are. Besides, if I don't fight who else will?" She replied honestly. She was glad that he hadn't seen what she knew about the light side, that Dumbledore was still alive. Her best friend may be dead, but Dumbledore, the mastermind of the light, was still fighting strong.

"Who indeed. Well, it is time for slumber, you have a long day ahead of you. I suggest you take advantage of the soft bed and sleep. Come."

The walk back to her room seemed to take hours, she was so exhausted. This one day felt as if it would never end. Upon reaching the ornate cherry wood door, Lucius opened it, and she stepped inside. She was not expecting the covers to be turned down or the fire to be blazing away merrily in the large fireplace. She was shocked to find a soft blue nightgown, the color of a robin's egg, laid out across the bed, or the fuzzy matching robin's egg blue slippers on the floor. She turned to thank Lucius only to see the door shutting quietly and a pale white ward being erected from the outside.

Hermione sighed, even with his gifts of splendor, she was still a captive. His fire and ice attitude toward her made her question his motives.


	3. The Beauty of Hell

**The Beauty of Hell**

The next morning presented a new challenge for Hermione. She woke up to a piece of parchment on her bedside table. On it was a handwritten list of all the work that Lucius required her to do in and around the house.

"Scrub the floors, clean the peacock aviary, clean the Abraxan barn, ALL with no magic! Who does he think I am, Wonder Woman?" She exclaimed as she read the list.

At the end of the list there was a small note from him:

_Every dress within your wardrobe has been shrunk to fit you exactly. I will be around to collect you at 7 A.M. for breakfast and to show you where everything is located._

Hermione cast a sideways glance at the ticking clock in the corner of the room and noticed that it was already half six. Her eyes widened, and she jumped out of bed and to rush to the bathroom and cleaned herself up a bit. She did her best to tame her tangled mess of curls without a wand or hair potions, then went and grabbed one of the black dresses out of the wardrobe. He hadn't been lying in his note, since the dress fit her like a glove. Hermione sat on the foot of the bed with just five minutes to spare. She was anxious, she had been in tough situations before, but never had she been required to do hard physical labor before.

"This day is going to be unbearable wearing a floor length dress," she muttered to herself.

Only moments into her musing, Lucius slammed open her bedroom door, effectively startling her to her feet.

"Are you ready? I have work to do and don't have all day to spend coddling you," he stated without even looking up at her, his tone was firm and rushed. He seemed to her as if he would actually rather spend the day with her than whatever "work" it was he had to do.

"I am," she said, holding her head high and hiding her anxiety about the work he'd set for her.

He turned and walked out of the room with her following close behind. He led her to the dining room, "I will be in my study. I suggest you eat breakfast. You'll be busy today, and I don't want to have you fainting during your occlumency lesson tonight. Don't even think about running. The grounds are warded to prevent your escape. Understood?" Lucius demanded in a tone a father would take with a rebellious teenager as he pulled out a chair for her to sit in.

Hermione sat in the offered chair and nodded her head, "Understood."

As Lucius left the room, he slammed the door and left her alone. She immediately began eating the meal set before her. Hermione knew that she would be starving by the time she would be able to eat again.

When Hermione finished, she stood, and walked to the window to look out over the expansive grounds. The sun was barely peeking through the dense fog that surrounded the manor, but she knew the day would drive away the fog soon. The sun would soon be unbearable.

The sound of peacocks roaming in front of the windows caught her attention. The largest one of the flock seemed to realize she was there and let out a blood curdling sound that caused her to jump back in surprise. A loud chuckle sounded from the doorway, Hermione spun around to see Lucius' towering frame standing in the doorway, a lighter expression on his face than she had ever seen before.

"That was Whiskey. He's the only male in the flock, which makes him slightly dominant." Lucius informed her as he stepped beside her looking out the window at the flock just outside.

"You want me to clean _that_ bird!? Are you crazy?" She scoffed in disbelief.

"Not him specifically, just the aviary. _That_ bird would eat you alive, and I maintain a strict dietary regimen for him. You would give him indigestion. Come."

"Oh yes, worry about the bird's digestion, not the poor girl who would be eaten," Hermione muttered as she practically ran to keep up with his long stride.

Every house elf bowed as Lucius entered the kitchen.

"Mipsy, take Miss Granger to the stables and inform Jarby that she is to clean the stalls. When that is finished, he can send her to my office; it needs cleaning. Only when that is done does she get to eat," Lucius ordered.

Hermione unconsciously stopped dead in her tracks, her mouth hung open to stare incredulously at the sadistic man. He wasn't letting her eat until she completed a full day's work?

"Do close your mouth, Miss Granger, you look like a fish out of water."

Hermione snapped her mouth shut and narrowed her eyes at him. She placed her hands on her hips and prepared to give him a piece of her mind. What was expected of her was impossible! She wasn't a fucking slave.

Lucius had quickly closed the gap between them, invading her personal space and giving her absolutely no room to move. She felt the heat rise into her face as his angry form grew nearer.

"This is not a discussion, Miss Granger, or you can spend your days in the dungeon with no food. It's your choice," he ground out, his voice low and menacing.

His breath was hot on her face and smelled of spearmint and honey. Hermione's knees threatened to buckle; however, she stood firm and closed her eyes in an attempt to hide her true thoughts. She didn't want him to look into her mind to find the effect his nearness was having on her. It had been too long since she had felt desire. Hermione couldn't decide if she should feel disgusted by her body's betrayal or press herself closer into him. She knew he could see the blush on her cheeks, let him think what he would about it. She opened her eyes when he stepped away from her.

"Yes, sir" Hermione responded through gritted teeth and tight lips as she was quickly whisked away by Mipsy, who seemed to want to avoid any further disturbance in her master's mood. Neither witch or wizard noticed the frustrated look the tiny elf was giving Lucius.

They walked down a long path, and soon arrived at the stables. Hermione looked at the large building in awe, then the thought of cleaning it by hand hit her and a look of disgust crossed her face.

"Jarby!" Mipsy called to the other elf as they walked into the barn.

Jarby appeared in front of them with a loud crack, startling Hermione. "You needs Jarby?" the larger elf responded to Mipsy.

"Master says you be watching her cleans and bring her back when she be's done and no magic!" Mipsy stated, she turned and with a snap of her fingers and vanished.

Jarby looked at Hermione with a scowl. He was an old elf, slightly hunched. His skin was grey and wrinkled with age and sun, and he had an excessive amount of white ear hair that almost looked like large cotton balls. He limped to the first stall and grabbed a pitch fork to hand to Hermione. The pitchfork was bigger than Jarby, but he managed to drag the tool to Hermione.

"Here's," he said crankily and shoved the pitchfork into her hand, "Starts at the end, put the manure in the buckets."

Hermione quickly grabbed the pitchfork and stared at it. She had read about them in books of course, but she had never actually held one. She understood the concept of the dangerous looking tool but executing the manoeuvre and reading about it were two entirely different things.

Hermione dragged the pitchfork down the middle of the barn to the last stall. Hermione looked at the large piles of horse excrement and gagged; the smell was revolting. Even with the early morning dew the piles were steaming. She placed the pitchfork carefully under the first pile and pulled up only to have the stinking mess land on the back of her head.

"Ah, Fuck!" She yelled. The stinking mess was now rolling down the back of her dress.

Jarby shook his head as he watched her get covered in horse shite.

"You's has to turn with it like a shovel," He explained.

Hermione growled in frustration as she turned back to the massive piles of manure. She tried again a second time and was more successful with about half of it landing in the bucket. Hermione rolled her eyes, yet she continued. With each pile, she became more and more successful.

After more than an hour, Hermione thought she had finally managed to clear all the manure in one stall. Her hands certainly felt bruised and blistered. She took a step backward and tripped over one pile of horse shite, falling into piles she had missed. She was now fully covered from head to toe in the stuff.

Jarby grumbled as he led Hermione back up the path and into the kitchen. Mipsy looked livid that Jarby had brought her inside her pristine kitchen.

"OUT!" The tiny elf yelled as she ushered Hermione back out of the kitchen and to a water pump and snapped her fingers. Before Hermione could process what was happening, the pump was violently spraying her down with water, rinsing away the majority of the horse manure.

Hermione instinctively threw her hands up to cover her face against the assault, "STOP, WHAT ARE YOU DOING!" Hermione cried out as she was abruptly spun around, and her back was sprayed with a stream of water that nearly knocked her off her feet.

When she was satisfied Hermione was clean enough, Mipsy snapped her fingers once more and the pump turned off. With another snap of Mipsy's fingers, Hermione was completely dry, "Come, you haves a lot of works to do," the small elf ordered heading back toward the kitchen.

Hermione rolled her eyes, but followed the elf anyway. She couldn't believe she had once thought elves to be helpless slaves. Mipsy was terrible. They entered the Manor through the enormous kitchen. The small elf directed Hermione into the long corridor that led to the front entryway. "You's be cleaning the Master's office as Master Lucius said," Mipsy demanded as she suddenly thrust as wooden bucket with soap, water, and a scrub brush inside it, "then Master has said for yous to cleans the aviary."

Hermione's face burned with frustration. She swiftly turned and headed toward Lucius' office to scrub her anger away, as she tried to ignore the hunger pangs that were beginning in her belly.

She stepped into the masculine office and gasped. She was in awe of how elegant yet simple it was. Hermione placed her bucket on the floor, carefully, and walked over to the mahogany desk. She pulled a dry rag from the pocket of her dress and began wiping it down. Once she finished with the desk she began carefully dusting each book on his shelves behind his desk. The simple work reminded her of helping her mum when she was a child, dusting books and laughing at the stories her mum told her. Tears filled her eyes with the memories. Sometimes she really missed her parents.

"Mipsy?" Hermione called softly for the grumpy little elf as she finished cleaning the books and shelves.

"Can you Mudbloods do nothings without helps?" the small elf insulted as she entered the room with a pop.

Hermione's fists balled up in anger at the use of such a horrid word by even his servant, "I need a broom, you didn't give me a broom for the floor," she hissed through clenched teeth.

The tiny elf popped away grumbling her discontent and returned moments later with a broom for Hermione and left as quickly and angrily as she had entered.

Hermione stood there confused as to how even a servant in the Malfoy home could hate someone like her.

"Granger!" His voice jolted her from her thoughts as she turned her head, fear entering her as she saw him. His face was contorted with anger. With only a few strides, he had cleared the space of the enormous office. He gripped her arms, pinning them tightly to her sides. "I thought I told you I wanted the barn entirely clean!" he fumed.

Hermione stared at him in shock, "I did clean it," she retorted.

"The job wasn't finished!" he growled, his breath hot on her face. He had forced her against the wall. She struggled to break his grip on her.

Hermione cried out in surprise when he changed his grip to drag her through the office and down the same hallway they had traversed coming from the dungeons the day before. "You will learn your place!" he growled.

"Please, sir! I'm sorry!" Hermione pleaded with him. He didn't respond. She ran behind him, tripping over the gown she wore as he yanked her abruptly around the corner.

Upon reaching the dungeons, he threw her in a cell, "You will stay here for the next two days with no food! I had better not hear a sound from you, or things will get much worse! Understood!" He roared as he slammed the door to her new prison shut.

Hermione was shocked by the anger and pain she saw in Lucius' eyes, like he was warring with himself. She did not understand. He was angry with her, why would he look like he regretted his outburst?

"I understand, sir," she replied. She would not be intimidated by this tyrant of a man, even if he was feeling regret, probably for the first time in his life.

Lucius turned and left Hermione in the dungeon, slamming the door loudly behind him. She was alone with her thoughts, unafraid of the next two days. This was not the first time she had gone without food.

It had been two days since he'd seen her, and he had felt guilty the whole time. Lucius sat, with his feet up, reading a financial report by the fire in the library; he wasn't really comprehending what he was reading though. He found himself staring off into the fire as he felt the pain of extreme hunger even when he'd eaten only an hour prior. No matter what he did, he couldn't keep his mind on his work.

Lucius growled and threw the report on the ground. He had wanted to release her as soon as he had locked the dungeon gate, but he did not want her to see him as weak. But this time, he could not ignore the pull to her. It hurt.

Lucius stood from his chair so quickly he knocked it to the floor with a thud. He paced in front of the fire; he wanted to hate her. Merlin, how he tried. But there was something about her being within the walls of his home. Her nearness drew him in. He could feel the fear and pain that she felt each time he hurt her, and it did nothing but kill him inside. He wanted to feel her within his arms, to take away all the hurt and sadness that he and the rest of this awful world had caused.

He turned and walked out of the library determined to make things right. Somehow.


	4. Muddy Revelations

Muddy Revelations

Hermione looked up from staring at her feet, when she heard footsteps outside the door, then she heard the door unlock and abruptly swing open, letting a brilliant and blinding light flood into the dungeon. Hermione shielded her eyes with her arm. She felt a gentle hand touch her arm; she lifted her head, and blinked her eyes to adjust them to the light. Lucius was looking at her like he'd never looked at her before. His eyes never left her own as he bent down and scooped her up into his arms.

Hermione weakly allowed him to carry her, placed her head on his chest, and breathed in his heady scent. Neither spoke the whole way to her room. She felt so confused. During her time in the dungeon, she had felt stirrings of guilt and regret that were not her own. Normally, she would be able to handle the two days with no food or light, but this time, the weight of guilt almost made the hunger unbearable. And having already been near starving even after eating two meals with Lucius, these last two days caused her to be even more weak. She felt her magic calling out for help, calling out for Lucius Malfoy, it seemed.

He opened her door for her. "I'll get you some food. Clean up," he commanded firmly.

Hermione looked at him in confusion, but nodded her head, unable to muster the strength to argue. She stood and watched as he closed the door. The guilt in the pit of her stomach had grown with his touch. It was then she realized: there was a bond of some sort between them. She didn't know how to explain it, or how it happened, but it was there all the same. The desire to study the bond grew the more she thought about the implications of such a connection being in place. What kind was it? Where did it come from? Why her and Lucius?

She went to the bathroom and took off the disgusting dress she had been wearing for nearly three days. Her hair was in desperate need of a wash, so she started the bath and stepped into the luxurious tub. Her mind was still spinning with questions and hypotheses, but she held them back as she relaxed into the bath.

Once her ablutions were taken care of, she went to her bedroom to get a dress from the wardrobe. She wasn't sure if she would be expected to work the rest of the day since it was only a little after lunch. She noticed a tray full of food under a warming charm, grabbed a warm roll and took a bite. It was glorious to taste, light and fluffy, buttery even with no butter. Hermione moaned in ecstasy at the taste of the food in her mouth.

The door opened, after a short knock. She shrieked before she could stop Lucius from entering. She had not put on a dress before choosing to eating the roll.

"Sir, I am not dressed yet!" she yelled, covering herself with her hands.

"My apologies. Dress, I'll wait outside."

Lucius stood in the corridor, his hands clasped behind his back as he conversed with one of the paintings on the wall just across from her room, when his attention was drawn from his conversation by the sound of her door opening slowly. The sliver of a malnourished but toned body that he saw before realizing his blunder would follow him to sleep tonight. He turned to see her standing in her doorway, a light blush across her face.

Lucius smiled softly, "I apologize for barging in. I should have waited for your approval to enter. Did you enjoy your meal?"

"I had only just begun eating a roll. That is why I was still undressed. I saw the roll and decided I couldn't wait for clothes before eating. It was foolish of me. It won't happen again." She looked down in submission as she spoke. Lucius could feel the fear radiating off of her.

"I overreacted. You have nothing to fear Ms. Granger. Come, I will have Mipsy bring the food to the dinner table, and we can discuss your next set of chores while you dine."

Hours later, Hermione had finally finished scrubbing the floors. It had taken hours but was a much easier chore to perform while thinking about the complete one-eighty that Lucius had performed in the early afternoon. He had been attentive and apologetic. It confused her, but his demeanor also caused the fascination she felt for him to flair yet again. Scrubbing already clean floors also gave her time to think through the bond that she felt with Lucius. If she paid attention, she could feel his agitation at something, then his frustration.

She stood to stretch when Lucius came barging through the door, mud covered his right side from his boots to his shoulder. She knew he had gone on a ride through the forest, having told her before setting her to work.

"Bloody fucking horse threw me into the mud! Afraid of a damned rabbit!" He grumbled under his breath in an irate tone.

Hermione watched in shock as he tracked mud from the door to the stairs and up. From the top of the stairs and down the corridor a ways she heard his muffled voice. "Clean it, Mudblood."

Her jaw almost hit the floor at the horrible term he used. It felt like her heart was being ripped out of her chest. He was so hot and cold with her. Tears sprang to her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. She took a deep, steadying breath and walked back to the door and started cleaning the floors all over again. This time, however, she made her way up the stairs as she followed Lucius' muddy trail. The trail had led right to a door she could only assume to be his chambers.

Hermione knocked timidly but did not receive an answer. She was sure he'd be angry if the mud was still on his bedroom floor when he got out of the shower, so she decided to quietly enter the room, clean up the mess, and exit the room before he finished.

Hermione shakily reached for the handle and turned it. Opening the door just enough for her to push the bucket ahead of her, then silently closed it once more. Hermione froze when she realized she didn't hear any water running. Before she could dart back out of the room, the ensuite door was flung open, slamming into the wall behind it with the force Lucius had used.

Hermione stared at the man who stood naked and seething in front of her, her eyes as wide as a mooncalf during mating season. Her face burned with the heat of a passionate blush as she stared at him in his magnificent glory. And was he glorious, Hermione thought. Strong, lean legs, perfect cock with just a smattering of blond hair around it, and surprising enough for a man in his early fifties, a toned chest, more than likely from the riding he did regularly. The bond that thrummed between them hummed in anticipation. She felt his desire and anger before he acted on it.

Lucius took several angry strides in her direction, thus breaking her musings and brought her attention back to how angry he was. Hermione tried to step back, away from him, but before she could react he had pushed her against the door, pressing his body to hers. His left hand grabbed a handful of her hair, and his other hand gripped her throat lightly, not quite enough to choke her, but enough to startle her. He pushed his advantage and applied a deeper pressure to her throat as he leaned in to challenge her.

"Ms. Granger, this is my room. You will not enter unless invited." She struggled beneath his body as he continued to tighten around her throat. Fear welled up in her. He pulled back just enough to crash his lips onto hers.

Hermione inhaled sharply at the suddenness of Lucius' actions. She wanted nothing more than to melt into a puddle right there, to let him take her, to pretend the past three days were a dream; but they weren't, and she was terrified to let him in on how she truly felt. The bond pulled at her, she could feel it overwhelming the two of them. Hermione mustered up all the courage and strength she could find and pushed him away, effectively breaking the bruising kiss.

Lucius smirked, clearly satisfied he'd made his point loud and clear, he stepped back a few steps allowing her the room to make a hasty escape. Hermione rushed to her room, tears in her eyes. She slammed the door behind her with force that was beyond her tiny frame. Hermione threw herself on the bed distraught. He had managed to incite a lustful desire within her body that burned within her like the hottest fiendfyre.

Her body had reacted to him in a way she'd not been expecting, and she hated them both for it. She didn't want to admit that she wanted him. This hadn't been the first time she had had a reaction like this to him. The night in the Department of Mysteries when he had spoken so calmly, so regally, it had set her skin alight with electricity. She wanted nothing more than to touch his soft skin and run her fingers through his luscious, blonde hair, but she knew it was wrong; and he would never approve. Yet, here he was years later, kissing her.

Was he aware of the bond? Could he feel it as well? It seemed almost like he was using the bond to his advantage, only letting up on his grip when he felt her fear. Did he mean to do that? She needed answers to these questions in order to parse out his motives. She was questioning so much about Lucius Malfoy, and it didn't sit right with her. He was evil, wasn't he? Hermione laid on her bed, questioning everything she thought she knew to be true about Lucius for quite some time, so long in fact, she had fallen asleep.

Lucius looked for her for nearly twenty minutes after his bath and was unable to find Hermione for dinner. He realized she must've never come out of her room. He grumbled under his breath as he set off to retrieve her, "I really wasn't that horrible. I kissed her, nothing too bad, and she wanted it just as much as I did- I could feel her desire pulsing through me. There's no reason to sulk all day when there is still work to do."

When he got to her room, he barged in to find a sleeping Hermione, who still had the puffy eyes of someone who'd been crying. He scoffed at her childish reaction to what he'd done. He stepped to the side of the bed and wrenched her up by the arm, "Time to wake up, there's still work to do!" he growled as he placed her upright on her feet.

"What the fuck, Malfoy!" Hermione instinctively screamed as she was abruptly awoken from her unrestful sleep.

He began to drag her out the door and toward the foyer, "Let go! I can walk, you know!" she shouted. She tried desperately to wrench her arm from his vice like grip, but he held her tighter.

Like a flash of lightning, he spun around and pinned her against the wall, one hand gripping each upper arm tightly. His face was too close to hers, his breath hot on her face as he spoke chillingly quiet, "If you had been following your orders instead of sulking in your room, I wouldn't feel the need to drag you through the corridor." His grip on her arms lightened a bit as he let go with his left hand and slid his right hand lightly down her arm to her wrist and swiftly began dragging her once more.

The bond made him aware of the effect of every touch, and Hermione's skin caught fire as his hand moved down her arm. He could feel her ire as well as her want for him, it was an addicting emotion.

Being pulled down the corridor forcefully by Lucius Malfoy was not her favorite way of moving about the Manor. If anything, it made her angrier at him when he manhandled her. Desire for him was there, but anger outweighed that embarrassing emotion.

Hermione realized Lucius was speaking to her as they moved through the Manor.

"Since the mud is still in the foyer, that needs to be cleaned up. You have permission to enter my room to clean the floors. I don't want you to get any ideas and snoop through my things. You'll clean the floor and the bathroom and that is it. Do you understand?" He spoke through gritted teeth, finally letting go of her wrist when they arrived at the door to his bedroom. The scrub brush and water bucket were still waiting outside for her to begin work.

This would take hours to finish Hermione realized. She glanced up at Lucius' face to see if there was any remorse for his having made such a huge mess. He looked bored.

After a moment, she spoke through gritted teeth, "Yes, sir. I won't go through your things. What should I do once this chore is complete?"

"You may eat dinner, and I will test your occlumency. Practice clearing your mind, I know that will be rather difficult feat for your brain," he spoke almost in a teasing tone. She looked up sharply and saw a familiar smirk graced his features.

"Yes sir," she said simply.

Lucius walked toward his office, and she picked up her bucket and scrub brush and opened the door to his bedroom. She could smell his soap from his shower. It permeated the room and while she knew it would not help, she gave herself over to the scent as the traitorous feeling of desire pulsed through her.

After a moment of fantasizing about the frustrating man she served, she set to work scrubbing the floor and clearing her mind. Lucius was correct, it was a lot more difficult to shut down her mind than it would be for a normal person.


	5. Answers

Answers

Lucius left Hermione to clean the floors of his room, and rather than heading to his office, he went to the library to research bonds. The bond between him and his charge was becoming more and more distracting by the minute. Bonds such as the one he felt between the two of them were uncommon. It took everything in him to not throw the door to his room open, lay her out on the bed, and have his way with the beautiful woman. That was how he knew this was not a normal bond- the only one he could come up with was the soul bond.

The well of desire he felt through the bond finally gave way to anger and embarrassment. A smile grew on his lips, because an angry Hermione Granger was fun to toy with. It would make their occlumency lesson later much more enjoyable if she was angry.

After a few hours of researching soul bonds and any other type of bonds, he had more questions than answers still. It was just such an unknown branch of magic. He decided to go in search of his charge; he could feel her hunger pangs which was more of a distraction than the desire he felt earlier. Lucius decided then and there if he could prevent her from going hungry, he would.

Walking through the Manor, he found her in the foyer just finishing the floors. A small surge of guilt welled in him, but he pushed that down quickly, no need for Hermione to feel his guilt. He was a master at occlumency; he would have to be better at shielding her from his feelings. At his approach, she looked up from the floor.

"Are you finished?" He asked gently.

"Yes sir," she answered quietly, standing to her feet; he noticed she didn't look him in the face. He wondered what he had allowed to seep through the bond earlier.

He nodded and motioned for her to follow him. They walked to the dining room quietly. She walked to the table and stood next to her chair waiting for him to give her permission to sit.

"Sit." Lucius said plainly as he sat. He cleared his throat before he began speaking again. "I did some research today. It may help explain the pull we have towards each other. I'm sure you have felt it as well."

She nodded, relief was visible in her eyes, "Yes, I've been wondering about it but obviously have not had time to research it myself." Her voice was laced with irony and accusation. "What did you discover?"

"Before I explain that, I should probably explain my motives for agreeing to take you in. It will also shed light on the bond, I think." Lucius sighed and began to eat the meal before him while speaking between bites. He motioned for her to begin eating as well.

"When you arrived here I was so desperately angry at you for getting caught, especially after all the efforts that I'd made to keep you safe and out of the Dark Lord's hands," he paused in his words. Now was the time to tell her how he kept her safe, "Since you were a child, Hermione, I felt something- deep inside me- that kept me close to you, I desperately needed to help you. I couldn't explain it, honestly, I still can't."

Hermione interrupted him gently, "Thank you. I knew there was someone helping me stay ahead of the Snatchers, I just wasn't sure who it was. You saved my life more times than I can count."

He nodded his head in acceptance of her thanks and took a sip of the soup in front of him before continuing, "In the Department of Mysteries, when we were chasing you and your friends, I didn't want any harm to come to you. I was so distressed thinking you would be killed, and I was so angry you were even there, that I distracted the rest of the Death Eaters by sending them down an aisle that none of you had gone down to give you a chance to get out."

A look of shock on her face stopped him from speaking for a moment.

"After Narcissa was killed by her sister, I felt the pull to you become greater, so strong in fact, I was a bloody mess. Any time I heard my group of Snatchers make mention of being on your trail I would throw them off and send them running in the opposite direction. I made sure that you had food at least a few times a week, I couldn't do it more often, or it would have become too obvious to others around me." He stopped momentarily taking a steadying breath and watched her take in the information he had just dropped into her lap.

"So when you were given to me by the Dark Lord, I decided I was going to make your life a living hell, at least for a short while. I wanted you to understand just how much was wasted without you out there fighting. But, it seems I may have taken that too far; I never meant for you to fear me in any way," Lucius explained patiently.

Hermione looked at him stunned, speechless. Her face burned with a furious blush, "Why? Why wouldn't you just explain it to me?" She asked looking at him confused.

"I guess it was my way of avoiding the truth," he admitted to himself more than her. Desert had been served, a pudding with fruit on the side. He watched as she took a strawberry and dipped it in the pudding before placing it into her mouth. The motion was alluring, and he had to tamp down on the desire that welled up in him.

"Truth?" She questioned him further once her mouth was clear of strawberry.

He inhaled sharply; he opened mouth to speak, then growled in frustration when the words refused to appear on his tongue. He stood abruptly, which knocked his chair to the floor. Anger welled up in him, anger and frustration at the situation they found themselves in. Lucius paced the room.

"I can't explain it. Why do I need you near me so bloody much!?" Lucius roared, slamming his fists into the ancient stone wall beside the fireplace. "I can't stop this insane need to protect you, this burning need to hold you; believe me I have tried for years to hate you." He turned to her almost hoping she had the answers he searched for.

"I don't hate you, Lucius," Hermione whispered.

"You should, I'm a right bastard."

"Arrogant yes, sometimes too bloody smart for your own good, but you are not a bastard, Lucius."

Lucius walked to the table again and picked up his wine glass. He took a sip of wine before throwing it into the fire, the flames grew with the burst of alcohol.

Hermione stood up and rushed to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. "Lucius! Please calm down!" She said flustered. "I can't hate you. The bond we feel, we need to research it. I understand your motivations much better now. Thank you for explaining it to me. And for keeping me safe for so long. The question is, where do we go from here?"

He dropped his hands and turned around in her arms. Lucius looked down at the small, beautiful young witch who looked up at him. He heard his name on her lips, and it set his skin ablaze with electricity.

Lucius reached his hands forward and cupped face, "I'm sorry," he whispered as his face drew closer to hers. He kept his touch light and non threatening, he needed her to know that it was her choice to stay or go. He stopped momentarily and locked eyes with her before placing his forehead against hers and closing his eyes. Her breathing slowed down, and he breathed a sigh of relief. "I am going to kiss you," he whispered, ghosting his lips gently over hers.

The kiss only lasted a moment, but it was full of promise. He pulled away from her and spoke quietly, "We still need to train you in occlumency. Are you ready?"

"Yes, Lucius," she pulled away just a few feet. He felt her closing off her mind through the bond and smiled at her willingness to work on this.

"Let's begin." Lucius gave her no time to think, let alone block her thoughts from him.

Hermione felt his intrusion into her mind like a white hot poker into her past. Tears sprung to her eyes as the both of them witnessed her running through the woods as spells flew by, dangerously close. With no warning she tripped over a tree root. Unable to get up, she simply knew she was caught. But then a sound caused the wizards chasing her to move in the opposite direction. Shock filled her as she quickly disapparated. The scene quickly changed to show last winter when she hadn't eaten in over a week and was starving, the smell of warm bread brought her out of her tent. She found a bundle wrapped neatly next to a tree near her tent. Waving her wand to check for curses or jinxes, she grabbed the package and ran to her tent. The warm bread she found inside was quickly stuffed in her mouth to satiate her hunger.

Hermione tried to push him out of her mind, but he was like a hammer to her psyche. Tears rolled down her face as she realized he was looking for one particular instance. She pushed it in front of him, to get him out of her mind. The scene was of her in an alley, hidden only by a few quickly spoken spells. Snatchers were walking past, one stopped and sniffed a few feet from her. Then a noise down the street led the snatchers away from her. She let go of the breath she hadn't realized she was holding.

"That was you wasn't it? You led them away from me," Hermione questioned him, once he had pulled out of her mind. Her head ached and the tears were still falling from her eyes, but she didn't care. She wanted answers.

Lucius looked at her with pain in his eyes. "You would have been caught. It was me. I could feel the general vicinity of where you were. That was how I knew where to leave the food. That group of Snatchers were imbeciles at best. They wouldn't have been able to catch you. It was easy to lead them astray. But they were too close to you."

Hermione launched herself at him and kissed him deeply. Pulling back she gazed into his eyes, "Thank you. I would have died without you. I just knew someone was helping me. You risked your life for so long. Thank you."

"For you, anything," Lucius pulled her back in for a deeper kiss.


	6. Falling

Falling

Hermione woke to a gentle knocking on the door to her room. "Coming," she called groggily as she threw off the covers and stepped down onto the cold floor. She took her robe from the foot stool and wrapped it around herself and walked swiftly to the door. She opened it to see Lucius standing there regal as ever. "Lucius? To what do I owe the pleasure, so early in the morning?" She asked with a small, sleepy smile.

"I wish to show you the one room in my home I know you will love," he said as he smiled and glanced down at her attire, "Once you are dressed, of course."

Hermione blushed deeply remembering she was still in her night clothes. "Right, I'll only be a moment," Hermione said softly.

Lucius grinned as he bowed and stepped back into the corridor to allow her to shut her door.

Hermione rushed to her wardrobe and wished she had something nicer than the ugly black dresses that were in there to wear, and hanging front and center was a floor length, dark blue, sleeveless dress with a low cut front and a flowing skirt. There were even a pair of heels to match. She smiled at his thoughtfulness. Her smile never faded as she got dressed and did her hair with the brush and potions that were also provided by Lucius. How he got them into her room without her waking was a mystery, especially since the house-elves did not enter her room.

When she felt she was ready, she stepped out into the corridor where she found a patiently waiting Lucius who beamed at her when he laid eyes on her. "You look magnificent. I knew that dress would look perfect on you."

Hermione blushed. "Thank you, Lucius. The dress is amazing. When did you place it in my room?" she marveled with appreciation. The bond hummed with happiness, and she smiled brighter knowing that Lucius wasn't completely occluding his feelings from her.

Lucius held his arm out for her to take, "I placed them there early this morning while you slept. You sleep very deeply, is that normal for you?"

She linked her arm gently with his and let him lead her in whatever direction he wished. "I don't normally sleep deeply. I'm too on edge, but I must have felt safe last night for you to place the items in my room." She thought about the goodnight kiss they had shared after he had led her to her room.

A few minutes of walking and marveling at the parts of the manor she'd yet to see, they came to a large chestnut door, with an ornate carving of a moving dragon on it. Hermione stepped closer to the door and gazed at it in wonder when the door opened and revealed an even more beautiful sight. Her jaw dropped as she stepped through the door and into a three story library with shelves lining almost every wall. There was a fireplace on the far wall with two dark, leather wingback chairs on a plush rug in front of it. If she didn't know better, the library from _Beauty and the Beast_ could have been modeled after this room. It was perfection.

"This is amazing, Lucius!" she exclaimed, her eyes full of excitement. "May I?" she asked. She wanted nothing more than to investigate each shelf and know every tome in them.

"Of course. I have some work to do today, so you may spend as much time here as you wish. Maybe begin some of the research on soul bonds or spend time reading for pleasure," he explained as he moved closer to her. The word pleasure made her shiver with desire. "And later, I have a surprise for you."

She smiled at him as he stepped even closer to her, his hand resting on her cheek. "Go, enjoy, I'll join you later," he spoke softly as he leaned in and kissed her softly on the lips. Her breath hitched in her throat.

As he pulled away from the kiss, he lingered a moment. She noticed his eyes had darkened just a bit, showing his growing lust, before he slowly turned and walked away, leaving her standing in the middle of the enormous library wanting him more than ever. She shook herself from her thoughts and began looking through the books on the shelves.

Lucius sat at his desk and began to work, but was distracted by the desire to be in the same room as Hermione. He snapped his fingers and instantly the papers and scrolls were neatly together, wandless magic came easily to him. He picked them up as well as his good quill and departed his office for the library.

When he walked in, he'd noticed Hermione had chosen a book to read and was laying on the plush rug in front of the roaring fire. He stared at her momentarily, before shaking himself out of his reverie and moved to the table closest to her. He set himself to work, but as he worked, he glanced up at her finding himself distracted from his work more and more with each passing moment. After nearly an hour of this suffering, he couldn't take it anymore and set his quill down and moved the scrolls and papers aside and just watched the magnificent witch before him. The bond was pulling him to her; he could feel it as clearly as he knew his own thoughts, but he wasn't resisting the bond.

He stood and walked to her, sat beside her, looked at the cover of the book, and saw that it was _The Life and Adventures of Fanny Hill. _

"You just so happened to find one of Narcissa's favorite novels, but she never would tell me what it was about. Would you mind reading it to me?" He requested as he rested close to her.

Hermione blushed scarlet, and he could feel her embarrassment and something else through the bond. She nodded and began to read,

"Whilst they were in the heat of the action, guided by nature only, I stole my hand up my petticoats, and with fingers on fire, seized and yet more inflamed that center of all my senses: my heart palpitated, as if it would force its way through my bosom: I breathed with pain; I twisted my thighs, squeezed and compressed the lips of that virgin slit, and following mechanically the example of Phoebe's manual operation on it, as far as I could find admission, brought on at last the critical ecstasy, the melting flow, into which nature, spent with excess of pleasure, dissolves and dies away."

Her voice was mesmerizing to him. He couldn't take his eyes off of her lips as she read to him. The images conjured by her voice caused him to harden. The thought of touching Hermione the way she was reading was maddening. He wanted her, but he would need to go slowly. He reached toward her, and she stopped reading when he placed his hand to gently cup her face, turning her to look at him rather than the book.

He leaned in and kissed her sweetly, ever so gently. He allowed his hands to roam her body as he drew her closer to him. He rolled her on top of him, his hands gripped her hair, stopping the kisses that had built in heat. He pulled her head back away from his own and spoke, "We must work on your occlumency." His face was calm but serious.

Hermione nodded and took a deep breath to prepare herself for his intrusion into her mind. She shifted off of him, much to his chagrin and sat on the floor next to him.

Lucius looked deep into Hermione's eyes before he entered her mind, sifting through her memories as she tried desperately to push him away from them.

An image formed before him of a very young Hermione, perhaps two years old, as she walked into a Muggle library for the very first time holding her mother's hand. The look of childlike awe and wonder on her face was spectacular. He could remember Draco having similar expressions when riding a broom.

He reluctantly moved from this image to press further into her mind and found her first time in the Hogwarts library. She was so excited, she could hardly contain herself. Her feelings were visceral. He watched as she bounced on the balls of her feet and looked around the library, touching spines of books lovingly with her fingertips. He smiled despite himself. But he could tell she wasn't trying to hinder him seeing this memory, rather, thrust it toward him for him to see.

The image changed once more this time she was in Flourish and Blotts with Harry Potter and the Weasleys, and Draco was taunting them. Lucius watched as he entered the scene.

Lucius realized that this would have been Draco's second year. The year that he hid Riddle's diary in the Weasley girl's cauldron.

He watched as he introduced himself to Harry Potter. He remembered being surprised at the gall of the young boy and listened as young Mr. Potter said the Dark Lord's name. He inwardly cringed as he heard it.

He challenged the boy, but Hermione cut off any retort Potter had.

"Fear of a name only increases fear of the thing itself," Hermione interjected with confidence.

Lucius watched as he turned to Hermione in the memory. Hermione's memory of him looked at her with a certain amount of hidden disgust and disdain.

He cringed yet again at the look he gave her in her memory and remembered feeling disgust for being in the same room as a Muggle. Lucius felt a certain amount of disgust at his horrible behavior to the girl he was now attracted too. He recognized now that there had been a certain pull toward her, even then.

He backed out of the memory with a sigh. Hermione pulled away from him as he sat back and rubbed his eyes. As good as he was at legilimency, it still exhausted him. He had spent enough time in her mind to have a migraine later.

"You didn't even try to stop me, why?" Lucius challenged Hermione, frustrated that he had been able to view three separate memories. At this rate, she wouldn't be able to stop the Dark Lord from seeing anything.

"How the fuck do you want me to stop you? You haven't explained how to do that. This was our second lesson, and I've learned nothing, but you have learned so much about me. Explain how I am to block you." She threw her hands up in frustration at the man before her. Her eyes were alight with a fire, and he remembered the fire from her memory. She hadn't lost it, but did she trust him?

"Were you even trying? You practically threw the second memory at me. Could you build a fake memory? You have a vivid imagination. Build a memory. Make it believable. Pay attention to details, details make the memory believable. Until then, throw me out of your mind. Don't let me in. And don't throw memories at me," he breathed deeply. A migraine was already starting.

Hermione wilted under his gaze and touched his hand gently, "Thank you for training me in occlumency, and I know without you, I would be dead. I will try to build memories. Until then, I will try to throw you out. Although I don't think throwing Voldemort out of my mind will end well for me."

He looked at his hand under hers and picked her hand up to look at it. He couldn't help but state, "Your hands are beautiful Hermione." He watched as a beautiful blush bloomed on her face.

She cleared her voice quietly before she said, "Thank you."

"We need to get ready for dinner. Why don't you go to your room and clean up. I will meet you in an hour to walk you to dinner." He let go of her hand to stand. He held his hand out kindly to assist her in rising. He couldn't resist her lips once she was in front of him. He leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to her lips. He felt her gasp against his mouth.

Lucius smirked as he pulled away, "Go, I will see you shortly."


	7. A First Date

A First Date

Lucius knocked lightly on the door to Hermione's room and waited for her to answer. "Coming!" He heard her say softly from the other side of the door. His heart leapt at the sound of her voice as it had each time she spoke for as long as he could remember.

The door opened to reveal Hermione wearing the new dress he had procured for her. The dress was a flowing floor length dress covered in sparkling sequins. The dress made her sparkle like a diamond in the bright sunlight. He simply stared at the beauty before him.

"Oh! Hello Lucius I hadn't expected you so soon," she said looking up into his silvery eyes.

"You look lovely in that dress my dear. I have come early to ask if you would join me in Rome for dinner. A date, if you will." He was nervous enough to not know where to look while he waited on her answer. He recognized that it was a risk for them to leave the Manor together, but he didn't think the bond would allow her to run away. If anything, it was drawing them closer together.

"Really?" she asked the excitement evident in her voice. "I've never been to Rome!"

He nodded his head as he allowed a small grin grace his lips at her excitement.

"Thank you, Lucius! Oh thank you so much!" she exclaimed, wrapping her arms around him.

"You're welcome." He enjoyed the feeling of her arms wrapped around his body. She fit perfectly against him, more perfectly than even Narcissa had.

"Oh and of course I would love to go on a date with you," she said, a bright smile spread from ear to ear. She pulled away looking at him.

"Shall we?" he asked holding an arm out for her to take.

She nodded and took his offered arm as they were whisked away by his apparition. They arrived just out front of La Pergola. Hermione looked at him in awe of the fancy restaurant. "Are you sure this isn't too much?" she asked him thoughtfully.

"I am a Malfoy, nothing is too much for me," he said cheekily. "My dear, you deserve this for all I have put you through. No other person would have handled coming into my home the way you have with such grace and dignity."

"Thank you," she said smiling as he led her toward the front door of the grand building in front of them.

When they walked in, they were greeted by a beautiful hostess with long, straight, jet black hair. Hermione admired her hair.

"Due, per favor," Lucius said with flawless pronunciation.

"Si, signor Malfoy." the hostess said, with a flirty air about her.

Hermione became slightly defensive over the way the waitress spoke to him. How dare she? Couldn't the woman see that Lucius was with her? Hermione wanted nothing more than to smack the uptight floozy straight across the face. The look of anger and frustration melted off of Hermione's face, into a look of confusion. It was the first time she had to share Lucius in over a week. Her feelings were much stronger than she ever prepared for. The bond was causing more trouble than she knew what to do with. She was shocked to realize she hadn't even thought about escaping since they had acknowledged the bond between them.

They followed the hostess to a table far across the restaurant. Lucius pulled a seat out for Hermione motioning for her to sit. Hermione sat in the offered chair smiling at him as he moved to sit in the chair opposite her. She looked at her menu unsure of what it even said, let alone what she wanted.

"What would you recommend?" she asked looking up at him from her menu.

"Hm," he said scanning his menu once more, "I would say the Roe Deer with polenta and black truffle. And as always their finest house wine," he answered her calmly.

"Mmm, that does sound delicious," she responded just as their waitress came back to their table.

"May I take your order?" The waitress asked in Italian, her pad waiting to jot down what they wanted.

"Allow me," Lucius said to Hermione before turning to the waitress and saying, "Possiamo entrambi avere il Capriolo con polenta e tartufo nero. E una bottiglia di vino della casa migliore."

"Si, signor Malfoy," the waitress said, writing their order down, and taking their menus before turning and walking away to place the order.

Lucius looked at her with a smile, "Hermione, thank you for agreeing to go on a date with me. I would like permission to court you, if I may be so forward," he paused in his speaking and picked up her hand gently and wrapped it in both of his, "This bond, being what it is, may make impossible for us to ignore, especially now that we have acknowledged its existence. I also have not been quite truthful with the night. This isn't our only stop. Will you join me for the rest of the night?"

"Of course I will, and I agree," Hermione paused, "I didn't even think of escape when you asked me to join you. A week ago, I would have been running immediately. But with the bond... I can't explain it. I don't want to ever leave you," she said beaming.

Their food arrived and they ate. Talking and laughter allowed them to forget the horrible world they lived in.

As their meal came to a close he stood and offered her a hand. She smiled and took his hand and allowed him to guide her from the restaurant. They exited the restaurant and walked into an empty alley. He apparated them without telling her where he planned to take her.

They arrived only a moment later on the top floor of the Eiffel Tower. Lucius guided her to the railing so she could overlook the city. Hermione gasped as she saw Paris at night. The city lights seemed to sparkle like stars in the night sky.

"This is so breathtaking." Hermione sighed in awe as she leaned on the railing, looking out over the city around her.

"I thought you might enjoy it," he said smiling as he placed a hand on the small of her back.

He ushered her to a small decorated table for two. He pulled her chair out. Hermione sat and continued to look around in awe.

A waiter came to their table and introduced himself, "Bonjour, je suis François, je serai votre serveur ce soir. Puis-je commencer avec quelque chose à boire?" he said with a smile as he asked if they wanted something to drink.

Lucius smiled at her, "Wine and cheese?" he asked her and with the nod of her head he turned to the waiter and said "Pouvons-nous avoir une bouteille de vos meilleurs fromages et quelques-uns de vos meilleurs fromages, s'il vous plaît?"

"Oui, monsieur Malfoy," the waiter said rushing off to place their order.

"You really get around don't you?" she said to him, having observed people in both countries calling him by his name.

Lucius chuckled. "Yes, a bit," he said grinning at her.

"This is absolutely fantastic! Lucius, thank you," she gushed. She couldn't believe he had planned a night so special just for her.

"You're very welcome. So, are you enjoying our night so far?" he asked.

"Yes, Lucius. This night has been wonderful," she told him smiling.

'_My name coming off those beautiful lips, is so tantalizing._' Lucius thought to himself as they patiently waited for their wine and cheese to come. He reached across the table and took hold of Hermione's hand. Hermione turned her head to look at her hand, then she allowed her gaze to drift up his arm to his shoulder and up his neck to his cheek, up his cheek finally landing on his silvery grey eyes. She felt captivated by them. It made her breathless for a moment. He smiled softly at her.

The waiter arrived, ruining the moment as they both blushed a pale pink. They began to eat the magnificent cheese and drink the sweet wine. Hermione and Lucius talked about the things they wished they could make happen in their world. But it was wonderful that they found many things to laugh about, as well. Hermione regalled Lucius with a few humorous stories from her childhood and Hogwarts years. Soon it came time to order their dessert.

The French waiter came and asked if they wanted any dessert or coffee.

"Yes, we would like Mandarin Mont-Blanc with chestnut confit, please," Lucius responded to the waiter in French.

"Oui monsieur." the waiter responded as he wrote the order down and walked away to place the order.

"Your French is flawless," she observed with a blushing smile upon her face.

"Thank you. I was made to study several languages when I was a young boy," he told her. "I know French, Italian, Greek, Spanish, and oddly enough Indian. My family has holdings in India. My father felt that it was necessary to speak with our solicitors or be swindled. He was a brilliant but ruthless man."

"I bet knowing them really helps when traveling," she commented with a brilliant smile.

Their dessert arrived, and they ate glancing up at each other unable to stop smiling. They continued to laugh and learn more about each other as they enjoyed the sweet dessert. The hour had grown late.

"Would you like to join me walking along the Seine before we apparate to our next location?"

Hermione's face was beatific with joy, "Yes, please! This is the best night of my life!"

Lucius gently led her to the apparition spot, where they disappeared only to reappear at the foot of the Tower. His hand still in hers, he led her to the river. Lucius enjoyed hearing her gasps of awe and joy. He had never been one to feel butterflies, but this was the time for them. Lucius couldn't get enough of the witch by his side.

As they walked, he pointed out different sights that made her gasp or jump for joy. He noticed she had a little trouble with walking on the cobblestone walk, and transfigured her shoes to be flats. Hermione was able to keep up much better after that, and her look of appreciation was worth the quick use of magic.

After an hour of walking he asked, "Are you ready to head to our next stop?"

"There's more?" she responded with astonishment.

"There is," he told her, his face gleaming at the excitement etched on the face of the enticing woman before him. He stood and once again offered her an arm to take.

Hermione took his arm and stood as well. They apparated just outside another restaurant, LukuMum. He led Hermione to the door. "I reserved this restaurant to wait for the sunrise," he told her quietly as they walked.

They were greeted at the front door by the owner of the restaurant. The man walked them to a table closest to the outside patio, which overlooked the city. Lucius once again pulled out her seat and watched her sit, then sat opposite her.

"Can I get you anything to drink?" the man asked in Greek as he stood waiting to take their drink orders.

"Yes, sir. I would like a bottle of the best champagne and two flutes please," Lucius spoke in Greek.

"Yes Mr. Malfoy," the man stated as he sauntered off to the kitchen. He returned only a few moments later with a bottle of champagne and two flutes. The man poured their first glass and place the bottle in a bucket of ice. "May I take your order or do you need a few moments?"

"Yes, we would like two orders of chocolate banana biscoat crepes." Lucius ordered.

"Yes sir," the waiter acknowledged as he wrote their order down and walked back to the kitchen.

As they waited, the sun had begun to rise over Santorini. It was magnificent. The buildings seemed to have been set on fire. "Oh my! Lucius this is breathtaking." Hermione gasped as she watched the sun rise over the city.

"This is the most amazing view I have ever had the pleasure of witnessing. That's why I thought I would share it with you," he admitted to her.

"This has been a fantastic night," she told him truthfully.

Lucius reached across the table and took her hand. His silver eyes meeting her own chocolate brown ones. Hermione blushed as she stared deep into his eyes. He stood and led her by the hand to the edge of the patio. They watched, together, as the sun came up the rest of the way over the city, bathing it in a golden glow. Their smiles never disappeared from their faces.

Their food arrived at the table and Lucius led Hermione back to her seat. He sat in his seat and looked up at her, "Hermione?" he began.

"Yes, Lucius?" She responded clearly unsure what he was about to ask her.

"I was serious about wanting to court you. Are you aware of what that entails? We will be married one day," he spoke quietly, unsure of how she would take the more intimate nature of their bond.

Hermione blushed crimson, a coy grin on her face, "I'm sure this is what I want to do. I would be delighted to be courted by you."

"That settles it then," he stated firmly, a victorious look crossing his face in a flash.

They stared at each other in silence for a long time before Hermione spoke, "We should eat before the food gets cold." She pointed her fork toward the food in front of her in a teasing gesture. He nodded in agreement, and they started to eat.

As they finished Lucius paid for their meal and wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close to his side, and apparated them to the Manor.


	8. Phoenixes and Peacocks

Phoenixes and Peacocks

Lucius and Hermione arrived at the Manor with a resounding crack. Lucius held Hermione tight until she caught her footing. When she had, he let go of her and walked to his desk noticing a small, white owl perched on the center of it. His brow furrowed as he untied the scroll gently from the small creature, fed it a treat, and sent it on its way.

His eyes widened as he recognized the messy scrawling of the letter's address. He tore the letter open quickly and read it.

"The Dark Lord will be here in two weeks to see you. He wishes to see if I've broken you," Lucius hissed, his face pale as he looked up at her frightened face.

Hermione stared at him silently for a moment before she spoke, "Then we'll convince him that you have."

"And how do you expect we do that?" He bit out in frustration. His color returning to his face.

"I'm a quick study, Lucius. You teach me Occlumency, and he'll never know anything but what I want him to know."

He thought about this for a moment, then nodded. "You've been getting better, but if you are to truly hide everything from him, you must work harder. _We_ must work harder," He said stepping as close as humanly possible to her.

"I will," she whispered at his closeness.

"Good," he whispered in her ear as he leaned even closer to her.

Lucius pulled her head back and crashed his lips to hers in a bruising kiss just as he invaded her mind. He could feel her trying to pull away from his kiss, but his tight grasp around her waist and his hand on the back of her head held her firmly in place. He pushed hard into her mind not giving her the chance to think about what was happening.

Much to his surprise Hermione resisted him, pushing back with almost as much force as he was putting on her mind. He lightened the kiss but still held her firmly. He pushed harder and deeper into her mind trying to find any kind of memory, and still she pushed harder still. He was getting nothing- her mind was black. He could feel her body trembling within his arms. In the blink of an eye she'd forced him out of her mind with such force, a force he thought no Muggleborn could have without a wand. It had caused Lucius to fall backward onto the floor with a thud. He laid there staring up at the young witch whose body was sparking with magic, and he couldn't hide the awe that was etched on his face.

"Sorry," she said as her face blushed the most beautiful rose he'd ever seen.

"For what my dear? You were able to push me out of your mind. You've never been able to do that. You have nothing to apologize for." He chuckled, rubbing his eyes with his hands.

"I could feel you. Your magic I mean. I could feel it instructing me to push you away," she admitted sheepishly.

Lucius thought for a moment. "Hmm, alright," he said, as he hauled himself off the floor, this time keeping distance between himself and her, "This time I'm going to look for the memories of tonight, I want you to hide them and push forward the memories of the way I first treated you."

Hermione nodded. Lucius entered Hermione's mind once more as she quickly hid all the magnificent thoughts and memories she had for the regal man before her into the deepest depths of her mind and brought to the forefront all the horrible things he had done to her in the past.

Hermione couldn't consciously feel him any longer, but she pushed as hard as she could anyway as she allowed the horrific feelings and images to flood her mind. Then she began to feel him trying to pry deeper and yet she held her ground, tears streamed down her cheeks. She fell to her knees as he finally pulled out of her mind.

Lucius held his head for a moment. Hermione watched as he opened his eyes and noticed the remorse he felt when he saw she was crying. In all honesty, she couldn't control the tears that were flowing from her eyes.

He moved to sit next to her, and took her hand in his hand and rubbed calming circles on it before asking, "Hermione, are you alright? You were able to push the horrible memories forward. You still need to practice, but you are getting better, stronger."

Hermione nodded as she laid her head on his shoulder drying her tears with the back of her hand other hand. Lucius wrapped an arm around her and pulled her closer to him. "I think it's time we turn in for the night."

Later that night, unable to sleep, his thoughts ran amuck about the impending meeting with the Dark Lord. Lucius paced his room in frustration, unable to calm his mind. Barefoot, shirtless and tired of thinking, he decided to head to his office for a drink and to work on missives to his board. Lucius walked into his office and flung open the door to his whiskey cabinet and poured himself a tall glass of fire whiskey, then sat at his desk and started to sift through the paperwork he still had sitting there.

Lucius sighed as he sat back in his chair, gazing out the window as he sipped his drink. He sat up in shock when he saw a silvery phoenix fly toward him and travel like a ghost through the window. His wand was in his hand, waiting for what could possibly be happening, when a voice that was as familiar as it was cryptic spoke.

"_Hope is alive. Lightning will strike on November fifth."_

As quickly as it appeared it disappeared. Lucius had read about how to cast a Patronus but had never cast one himself. Trying to find a happy enough memory was a problem he knew he would have. Thankfully, he now had a whole night of happy memories with Hermione to draw from.

Lucius attempted his first cast, "_Expecto Patronum." _Nothing happened. Nothing fucking happened, no whisps of silver, nothing. He tried again, his desperation growing with each failed casting. He was yelling the incantation when he felt her presence in the doorway of his office. He whipped around and asked,"My dear, why are you out of bed?"

"I-I had a nightmare. I went to your room, but you weren't there, so I came to find you. Why are you trying to send a Patronus?"

"I received a Patronus from the Order, and I need to respond to them. I believe they have a plan in place. I know that a Patronus is faster and much safer than sending an owl," he stated, the frustration of his failure evident in his voice.

"What did the message say?" she asked him calmly as she stepped closer to him.

"It said, '_Hope is alive. Lightning will strike November fifth,'" _he said turning away as he attempted to cast a Patronus once more, growing louder in his frustration.

"Dumbledore sent that, I'd know his cryptic messages anywhere." He heard her mumble, as she chewed her bottom lip in thought, "The lightning will… Merlin! Harry's alive!" She burst out in excitement, startling him. He felt her move behind him and guide his arm in the movement as she said, "You're flourishing your wand too much. What memory are you using to cast with? It needs to be a strong, happy memory," she instructed somewhat forcefully.

Lucius stiffened slightly at the sound of _her_ voice telling him what he'd been doing wrong. "I can teach you how, if you'd like." Her eyes implored him to accept her offer, but he couldn't.

"No. I am through with learning. Here you do it," he grumbled as he thrust his wand into her hand. He watched the light click on in her immense brain, saw as she realized that she could be free of him in an instant. Instead she fixed her stance and waved his wand, saying the appropriate incantation. Her Patronus, in the form of a female peacock flew from the tip of the wand and circled the two of them. Hermione's eyes widened at the sight before her.

"I've heard of this happening before," she murmured in awe as she stared at the beautiful peacock. "When Tonks and Lupin fell in l-" her voice broke off as she looked up at Lucius, stunned at the words that had formed on her lips in realization. She cleared her throat, her blush deepened. "Er, now all it needs is for you to speak your message," Hermione finished shakily.

Lucius looked from the peacock to Hermione and back, then spoke, "The lioness is safe with me." His porcelain face blushed slightly at the thought of speaking about her so cryptically with her standing right next to him, "Messages are safe, we are alone."

Hermione sent the peacock on its way. "Harry is actually alive!" She fairly jumped up and down in excitement, before she swayed slightly feeling a bit lightheaded.

Lucius caught her, but felt weak himself. His eyes never left Hermione's side as he gently guided the two of them to sit on the soft, plush rug that lay between the leather wingback chairs and the roaring fire.

"What were you saying about Tonks and her Patronus?" Lucius prodded her thoughtfully as he held her in his arms.

Hermione looked up at him her face blushed furiously once more. "The form of her Patronus changed when she and Remus fell in love," she explained softly.

Lucius looked deep into her eyes, leaned down and kissed her softly, "I think the bond is drawing us closer together, especially now that Narcissa is gone. It might also have something to do with you using my wand, but I'm not sure. I don't think you are in love with me yet, as I am not with you. But I think we will eventually fall in love. The bond is working on your magical core."

Hermione nodded and spoke quietly, "It won't take much for me to fall in love with you Lucius."

"Nor I love, nor I."

Mipsy was muddling around the kitchen finally finishing her cleaning for the day. She couldn't help but find it most irritating that her Master had been out all night with the Mudblood. She started scrubbing the final few pots hard out of anger, when she heard him call her from his office.

She wiped her hands dry on her dress and with the snap of her fingers and a small pop she'd appeared in front of her Master.

"You calls Mipsy, Master?" She said grunted as she bowed low.

"Two cups of hot cocoa," he demanded as he sat beside Hermione.

The tiny elf looked at them, as she seethed over how close the two of them had gotten in such a short time. She grumbled to herself as she snapped her fingers and disappeared into the kitchen.

"She comes in and steals our work now she's stealing our master! Filthy little Mudblood!" Mipsy shouted to herself as she prepared the hot cocoa.

Mipsy calmed herself slightly as to not anger her Master before she reappeared moments later with a tray that held two mugs of steaming, hot cocoa. She set it loudly on the small table between the pair of them and with a small pop was gone once more, going completely unnoticed.


	9. A Witch Once More

A Witch Once More

Lucius reached up and plucked the two mugs from the tray and handed one to Hermione. He could feel her relief as she took her first small sip. She turned her head and gazed into the blazing fire as she gently slid her body closer to his, and he wrapped his free arm around her and felt her place her head on him. A smile spread across his face as he took to staring into the fire as well.

"You said you had a nightmare. Do you want to talk about it?"

She paused before beginning in a small, tired voice,"We fought hard but _his_ forces were still stronger than ours. Once he'd managed to capture all of us, including Harry, he gathered his closest followers and killed you first, for treason before turning on to me. That was when I woke up, just before he killed me. He made me watch you die Lucius. It was horrible."

He could hear the fear in her voice. "I won't let that happen," he promised her as he held her tight taking another long sip of his cocoa. He knew he had to do everything in his power to ensure that nightmare didn't come true, because in the way the world currently stood, they could never truly be together and live. Something needed to change and soon.

Before he knew it, she was asleep in his lap, her messy, cinnamon curls splayed across his legs. His eyes had begun to get heavy, and he knew they both needed to sleep. He had every intention of waking her to walk her to her room, however, their magic had other plans. Lucius shifted her head so it rested gently on the floor, and he stretched out beside her, wrapping his arm around her sleeping form. Lucius was, in no time, lulled to sleep by the light, calm humming their magic had been emanating. It would prove to be the best night's rest he'd had in the two years since Narcissa had passed.

Lucius was fully bathed in sunlight before he finally awoke the next morning. Hermione had shifted so her head laid on his chest, his arms were still wrapped tightly around her body, keeping her safe and close to him. He knew then, when he felt how much trust she'd put into him, that he never wanted to let her go.

Lucius felt her begin to stir as he ran his hand over her beautifully messy hair. Her eyes fluttered open, and she looked up at him with an innocent, sleepy smile that nearly caused his magic to spark.

"Good morning, Lucius," she muttered softly.

"Good morning, Hermione. Sleep well?" She nodded in response as he moved to stand. He reached down to help her up just as another Patronus in the shape of a phoenix came speeding through the office window, encircling them just before stopping beside Hermione.

From the phoenix came another message, this time in Potter's voice:

_"In three hours time, meet where the pink toad was lead to end her tyranny."_

Hermione's eyes widened as she understood the message all too clearly. "Lucius! The Forbidden Forest! That's where Harry and I lured Umbridge in our fifth year. She ended up in the hospital due to the centaurs getting ahold of her. They aren't very tolerant of people who hurt them or the people they protect."

"But why in Merlin's name would they want us to meet them near the centaurs? I'm sure the Death Eaters, myself included, have never done anything nice to them or Harry. I don't see that working out well."

She thought for a moment, "Headquarters, Lucius, that has to be where they've set up their new base," she explained. "Besides, I'm sure neither Harry, myself, nor Dumbledore will allow any harm come to you whilst we are there. Especially knowing you have me and are hoping to take down all you once held dear."

Lucius stared at her for a moment still unsure the centaurs would accept him, but knew they had to go. "Then I think it's time we get you another wand," he said smiling.

Lucius turned and walked to his desk, and as he slid the top drawer open, he spoke softly, "When my wife was murdered, Draco pocketed her wand and brought it to me. I kept it. I want to pass it on to you, another brilliantly strong witch who believes in her convictions. I know it's not ideal, but please take and use Narcissa's wand." Lucius stepped in front of Hermione and held the wand out to her, hoping she'd accept it.

Tears filled her eyes at his words, but the moment she touched Narcissa's wand she felt everything. She could feel how much love and respect the man before her held for the woman who had held this wand before her untimely death.

"Thank you, Lucius," Hermione spoke with a quivering tone. "I'm honored."

He stepped closer to her and kissed her tenderly. "You're welcome. Let's go get ready for this meeting."

Lucius walked Hermione to her room before leaving her alone to her thoughts.

Hermione closed the door behind Lucius and headed straight to the bathroom. She ran herself a steaming, hot shower and stepped in with a sigh of relief at the feeling of hot water rolling down her back.

When she'd finished showering, she stepped out and wrapped herself in one of the large, fluffy towels. With a wave of her wand, her hair was dry and untangled for the first time since she had been captured. It was amazing that Lucius had been willing to be seen with her in all those wonderful countries. She cast a slight glamour charm on her lips and eyes to add lip gloss and mascara and padded her way out to the wardrobe.

Hermione simply couldn't imagine herself trudging through the Forbidden Forest in a floor length dress no matter how beautiful a dress he gave her, but she didn't own anything else at the moment. She supposed she could transfigure something, but it wasn't the same. There was also the danger of a stray _finite_ causing her to have the dress return to its original state, which could be potentially dangerous. Hermione wished, not for the first time, that she still had her bag with the extension charm on it.

She shuffled through all the clothes in the wardrobe and with a huff she flopped onto her bed in frustration and was hit in the side of the head by a heavy object.

"What's this?" She asked aloud as she picked it up. Her eyes widened as she realized it was her beaded bag that she'd dropped the night she'd been captured. "I thought I had lost this forever." Hermione sat up and began digging through it, when she noticed a note on the bed that had probably been with her bag.

_"When you were captured, I went to see if I could find your wand so I could return it to you. This was all I found."_

Hermione smiled at Lucius's thoughtfulness and started to dig through her bag once more. After a couple minutes of moving things around she found a pair of jeans and one of her nice sweaters. She paired her outfit with a black pair of hiking boots with fur around the ankle. She'd bought them before she had gone on the run with Harry in seventh year at a shop in Muggle London. The boots had quickly become her favorites to wear in the cold weather, to keep warm on the run. She pulled her hair back into a ponytail, gathered her things, and walked out of her bedroom.

She walked across the hall to Lucius's door and knocked.

"It's open," she heard his voice from the other side of the door.

She opened the door and walked in to find him tying a very new looking pair of hiking boots. "Went shopping did you?" She grinned.

"I did, are you ready?" He asked as he finished tying and stood to his full height. She stifled a giggle at the thought that Lucius Malfoy would have blisters by the end of this hike.

Hermione nodded and turned leaving his room with him following her. They went to the front entrance, and she waved her wand to cast a disillusionment charm on the pair of them. She held out her right arm which he held tightly, and she apparated them away.


	10. To Trust or Not to Trust

To Trust or Not to Trust

With a crack, they landed in the Shrieking Shack. Hermione led Lucius down the narrow tunnel to the entrance at the Whomping Willow. She stopped abruptly and before she touched the knot on the tree to make it stop moving she whispered, "We are going to follow the tree line to the entrance of the Forest."

Lucius nodded, leaned down and kissed her. She placed a hand on his chest and pulled away from the kiss. Hermione smiled at him,took his hand into hers, and they walked out onto Hogwarts grounds. Her heart thrummed under her rib cage at the very real danger they were in.

With the sun high in the sky, they walked along the forest's edge before heading into the ease she navigated them straight to the very spot where she and Harry had lured Umbridge during their 5th year, thus ending her tyranny.

They stood there for only a moment. A moment, that to Hermione, seemed like an eternity. She cast a Patronus Charm and sent it to Harry. It flew off deeper into the forest.

Like an angel, Harry crested the hill that was only a small distance down the path from where she and Lucius stood. Hermione's grip loosened as she prepared to let go of Lucius's hand, but he held her hand tighter than before and pulled her back to him. Hermione turned and looked at him questioningly.

She felt the sting of him enter her mind, _"He might look like Harry, but we must proceed with caution. Think of a question only the two of you would know the answer to." _

Hermione knew he was right. She stepped closer to Lucius and allowed him to wrap his arms protectively around lowered the disillusionment charm as Harry reached them.

Harry face held a curious look at his best friend. She could tell he was wondering about how closely Hermione was standing next to the pureblood wizard but didn't say anything about it, yet. He took a step closer to them, but for hers and Lucius' safety she moved for her wand.

"Harry, remember the old Order protocol? I need to ask you a question, and you answer it. I need to know you are you," she defended her actions and watched as he calmly nodded, "After we apparated from Godric's Hollow, where did we go?"

"The Forest of Dean," Harry answered swiftly, a grin on his face.

Hermione lowered her wand and in turn Lucius lowered his protective stance, as well as the hold he'd had upon her.

Hermione rushed from Lucius arms and into Harry's.

"Harry! I can't believe you're actually alive!" She cried out as they embraced each other.

"There's plenty of time for explanation later, but for now we must get back to safety," Harry said pulling her away gently, "Dumbledore is expecting us."

Harry turned and set off into the forest. He turned and shot a warning look over his shoulder at Lucius. Hermione could see his thoughts written all over his face. She could see feel the disapproval of her and Lucius's relationship rolling off of Harry. An explanation would have to happen at some point today..

Hermione felt Lucius place his hand on the small of her back, ushering her to follow Potter. Hermione was finally able to tell her feet to begin to move as the pair of them followed Harry deeper into the darkening forest.

The awkward silence seemed to stretch on forever. Hermione could stand no more when she finally spoke softly, "Harry?"

"What happened to your otter?" He asked as if it was bothering him.

She stopped short. It was such an innocent question for her best friend to ask and the realization, that he may not trust her now, also hit her. "Well, there is an explanation, it's just not something easy to explain. I've been on the run since I thought you died. Everyone abandoned me because I was the most wanted Muggle-born out there. Then I was caught a little over a week ago. Lucius was given the option to take me as his slave, or I could go to the camps. You know about the camps right?"

She stopped talking and waited for him to answer..

Harry wheeled around his face reddened with fury. "Sure Hermione, I know about the camps. What I don't understand is why you are cozy with a Death Eater! One of _his_ right hand men. I don't care about you being on the run. I want to know if I can actually trust you. Especially, because I sure as hell don't trust him."

"I haven't changed! Just because I'm "cozy with a Death Eater" doesn't change who I am! Look who's being intolerant now! Did you know there were several times he saved your fucking life! All to save mine!" She shouted in anger.

"Potter! Hermione! Stop!" Lucius chimed in over their bickering. "Mr. Potter, she is correct. There were several occasions I saved the three of you in order to simply keep her safe, but that isn't important right now. Let me explain." Lucius took a deep breath as Harry looked at the man untrusting of his words. Hermione sighed and waited for Lucius to explain the situation to Harry.

"When Hermione was born, our souls were bonded by the fates. I've known for years but I was married to Narcissa. I also wasn't going to act upon an underage witch; however, I made sure to do my best to ensure her safety even after you disappeared and things became even harder to do so.

"Then she landed flat on her bum at The Dark Lord's feet and was handed over to me. He wanted nothing more than for me to break her and turn her into a slave. Instead the bond called to us and brought us to where we are now. I'm teaching her occlumency so that she can be protected when the Dark Lord invades her mind in two weeks, she will be ready. In short, Mr. Potter, Hermione is my soul mate."

As Lucius finished, Hermione looked at Harry, who was doing a good job at hiding what he was thinking or had no emotions toward what had just been laid out for him.

She took Lucius' hand and stepped closer to him. "Harry listen, I'm..." Hermione paused as she thought of the best word to use, "happy. And if _he_ is in power, Lucius and I will never truly have a chance to be together."

Harry stared at them a moment, his face softened as he did. "You're sure that he's what you want to fight for?" He asked her, his tone soft and warm.

"Yes Harry, more than anything. I'd go to the ends of the Earth for him," she responded, her tone barely above a whisper as tears gathered in her eyes. She was worried he'd never accept their relationship.

"I love you. Your like the sister I never got to have. If he is what makes you happy, and he's truly going to fight for you as much as you are willing to fight for him, then I think I can grow to accept it. Your Patronus changed because of your love for him, didn't it?"

Hermione's face lit up as her tears finally spilled over, flowing down her cheeks. She let go of Lucius hand and rushed into Harry's arms, "Thank you, Harry, I love you too. Yes, that is the theory anyway. It reminds me of what happened with Tonks."

"That's what I think too. Now we must get going, we're almost there and Dumbledore is waiting," he said softly as he gently pushed her away, wiped her cheeks dry with a kind smile as he turned away and started to walk, once more leaving her in the very capable hands of Lucius.

After only a few minutes of walking, they crested yet one last hill. At the bottom of the hill were several tents. Hermione became excited when she realized she'd get to see some people she'd thought long gone from her life.

Harry led them down the long path into the camp and straight to the first tent they came to. "Albus? It's me, Harry," he shouted as they approached.

Dumbledore strode out of his tent, a pleasant smile on his face. "Ah, Miss Granger, Mr. Malfoy, so glad you could join us."

Hermione smiled back at him and opened her mouth to speak, but was immediately cut off by Lucius. "Thank you for having us Albus. I have some ideas on how we can attack and win our freedom," He said, as he commanded the conversation.


	11. Not Allowed to Forget

Not Allowed to Forget

Lucius looked up from his breakfast as a brown owl flew through the window with the post. He untied the Daily Prophet from the owl's leg and stuffed three knuts into the little pouch on its leg. He placed the paper on the table and sifted first through the letters in his hand, then he picked up the newspaper from the table and a look of horror flashed across his face as he gazed at the front page.

"Unbelievable," he growled with outrage.

Hermione's head shot up from her porridge to look up at him, her face screwed up in confusion at his outburst.

"What?" She asked.

"Listen," he said as he read aloud to Hermione.

_**NEW MINISTRY LAW COULD PUT MUGGLEBORNS ON THE BOOKS AS A NEW CREATURE DISCOVERY!**_

_In an already overwhelming show of support, the Wizengamot could very well be voting in a new law that defines Muggleborns as magical creatures and would regulate the population. They would be required to register with the ministry in the Control of Magical Creatures Department. _

_Research, headed by Senior Undersecretary Dolores Umbridge, has proven that Muggleborn children lack the intelligence of the more superior pureblood lines and often have to rely on stronger witches and wizards to guide them in even the most basic of spells that are already known all pureblood children before they are awarded a letter to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. (For all of the newly reinstated regulations at Hogwarts please turn to page four.)_

_Newly appointment Headmaster, Severus Snape, who has seen many positive changes since he was appointed after the eccentric Albus Dumbledore was asked to step down, has been required to comply with the new law and send a list of all Muggleborns to the registration at the ministry._

_We as the Wizarding Community at large can only hope that the Wizengamot makes the correct choice in keeping these dangerous creatures under control. I will be following this story closely and of course you know I, Rita Skeeter, will have all the inside news!_

Hermione stared at him horror struck. "That's bloody fucked! They can't do this! Can they?" she shouted, as tears streamed down her face.

He felt the pain in her heart and stood to move closer to her, then pulled her gently from her chair and into his arms. "My love, I promise I will keep you safe," he whispered into her hair as he felt her tears soak into his shirt as she nodded into his chest. "Listen, why don't we go out for a horse ride and a picnic today?" He asked her, gently pulling her away from his chest and looking calmly into her puffy eyes.

She smiled at him and nodded, as she wiped her eyes with her fingers. "That would be wonderful."

"Mipsy," Lucius called to the old elf.

"Master calls Mipsy?"

"I'd like you to put together a picnic for us for this afternoon."

The small, wrinkled elf bowed low, and with a loud pop she was off to her duties.

Lucius looked back at Hermione. "I have some work I must complete, but I'll meet you in the gardens at noon." He kissed her on the forehead and turned and walked out the door to his study.

Hermione closed her book, tucked it under her arm, and walked out of the library and into the gardens, early as usual. A beautiful aroma swirled around her like a cloud. She sat on the bench on the terrace just outside the door. She opened the book and flipped to where she had stopped reading while in the library but before she could even read a single word she heard the door open. She tried to pretend she hadn't noticed, when his hand was placed gently over her eyes and she could feel his warm breath on her neck. "Keep them closed," he whispered into her ear then dropped his hand.

Hermione closed her book and vanished it back to its place in the library and nodded. She felt the warm presence of his body move from behind her, to in front of her. He grasped her hand and pulled her to her feet. She heard a little bit of shuffling and then he spoke again, "Open your eyes." His voice was smooth and inviting.

She opened her eyes and in front of her was Lucius, a long black box in his hand. A look of confusion flashed across her face. "What's this?" She asked, as a smile replaced her confusion.

"Open it," he ushered her.

Hermione opened the box. Inside was a gold bracelet laden with shiny green emeralds and diamonds. "Oh, Lucius! It's gorgeous!" She exclaimed.

Lucius smiled at her as he took the bracelet from the box and effixed it around her wrist. "A beautiful gem for a beautiful witch," he marvelled. "Shall we?" He asked and held a hand out to help her to her feet.

Hermione nodded and took his offered hand and stood. Lucius led her to the stables. Jarby had two Abraxons saddled and ready for them to ride.

"This is my horse, Uriel." Lucius pointed to the larger black horse. The smaller horse was dappled grey and looked much more gentle. "And this will be your horse for now. Her name is Bayla. She is very gentle. I'm not sure if you know how to ride, but I know even an inexperienced rider would be safe on her."

"Thank you," she said gently as she approached the dappled horse and ran her hand gently between Bayla's eyes. Hermione turned to Lucius and asked hesitantly, "Was Bayla Narcissa's Abraxon?"

Hermione felt a warm glow through their bond. "Yes, how did you know?"

"I'm not sure. She seems to understand a woman's hand. Bayla must be lonely. Was Narcissa an accomplished horsewoman?"

Lucius shook his head. "No, she only ever took a few turns around the inner property."

Hermione nodded and smirked at Lucius as she swiftly mounted Bayla.

"You've ridden before?" Lucius said in an awed voice.

She laughed. "Yes, my parents made sure I had lessons. My dad's family had a tradition about riding horses. I love riding, but haven't had the opportunity in years. Lead the way."

Lucius led her out of the paddock toward the side of the orchard.

"The Malfoys have cultivated this orchard for many years. There are pear and apple trees here, and on the south side of the orchard, the vineyard begins. The elves make a very sweet wine from the grapes."

She was astounded at the beauty surrounding her. The orchard was peaceful as they rode through the trees. The boughs were knit together above her head, creating a lovely canopy; the day was one of those rare sunny days, and the shade was welcome.

Lucius led her out of the orchard and through a vast field of many coloured flowers.

"Bet you can't catch me." Lucius smirked as he broke into a gallop.

Hermione's eyes widened, and her face brightening as she broke into a full gallop after him. They both laughed as she chased him, and he led her through the field. An enormous lake came into view just as Hermione flew past Lucius. She giggled as she looked back at him and slowed to a trot to give him time to catch up. They came up to a pergola that sat close to the lake. Lucius slowed, and Hermione noticed that it was set up with a table and two chairs. The sides of the pergola were covered with curtains of magnificent flowers.

They came to a stop, and Lucius dismounted Uriel and tied both horses to the tree nearest the pergola. He turned to Hermione and reached up helping her down from Bayla's strong back and placing her steadily on her feet. She looked up into his silvery eyes and smiled. "Thank you."

He bowed slightly to her. "You're welcome, love." He led her to the pergola and pulled her chair out for her.

Hermione took the offered chair and watched as he sat opposite her. She smiled softly at him.

"Mipsy," Lucius ordered.

With a pop, Mipsy appeared in front of them lugging a large picnic basket. Lucius lifted the basket from the tiny elf's arms.

"Thank you, Mipsy." He said dismissively. He opened the basket and pulled out delicious looking cucumber sandwiches and a bowl of strawberries and cream. Lastly, Lucius pulled out a steaming tea kettle.

Hermione's eyes widened. "Mmm, looks amazing. Mipsy's food is always so good."

Lucius chuckled. "Yes, her attitude may be poor, but her food and her cleaning are phenomenal," he said as he spooned some strawberries and cream onto Hermione's plate. "Tea?" he asked, he held up the tea kettle in an offering manner.

"Oh, yes. That would be lovely," She said softly. He was right. The old elf did seem to have a sour attitude, especially toward her. Hermione had surmised that had been because Mipsy had known nothing but hate toward Muggles and Muggleborns and here she was being forced to watch her master enjoy the company of such a witch.

****Lucius poured them each a cup and placed the kettle carefully back on the table. Hermione spooned some sugar into her tea and then poured some cream into it as well and drew the cup up to her lips and blew softly on the steaming liquid before taking a small sip. Her eyes met Lucius', who had been staring at her all the while. She blushed a light shade of pink and spoke softly, "The grounds are quite astonishing Lucius. Thank you for showing them to me." She smiled at him.

"You're welcome." He said his gaze, now twisted into curiosity, suddenly drifted off past her.


	12. Fear in The Night

Hermione looked at Lucius momentarily as if he'd just declared himself a purple Pygmy Puff. She twisted in her chair to figure out what he was now staring at so intently. As she did, she found her eyes transfixed by none other than Albus Dumbledore. She moved to stand, but Lucius' hand on her arm stopped her immediately.

"He might be an imposter. I was expecting no company and did not receive a warning from the wards," Lucius whispered under his breath as he withdrew his wand from his pocket and stood.

Hermione gave him a pleading look, but he didn't budge on the matter, so she too withdrew her wand from her pocket and stood beside her soulmate.

Dumbledore arrived at the pergola at last and gave Lucius' and Hermione's wands a fleeting look before smiling. "I understand the need for precautions," he acknowledged. "Ask anything you'd like." He stood patiently, awaiting their barrage of questions to confirm who he was.

Hermione and Lucius looked at one another for a moment, neither had been prepared to question any of the Order, let alone Albus Dumbledore.

Lucius' eyes shot daggers at the man who dared to walk on his property uninvited. He opened his mouth to speak, but closed it again as if trying to think of what to say, but Hermione spoke over him, clearly having thought of something.

"What was the password to your office during my first year at Hogwarts?" she asked him quickly.

Dumbledore smiled at her. "Lemon Drop," he answered swiftly and confidently.

Lucius looked at her for confirmation, and she nodded.

"Now that we've cleared that up, I think it rather rude of you to keep a guest standing around all day, don't you?"

Lucius looked at him incredulously, his silver eyes darkening and his face stone cold. "What the fuck were you thinking showing up unannounced like this!" He ground out through clenched teeth, his irate tone made Hermione shudder momentarily. She hadn't heard him this angry since the day she'd arrived at the Manor. "How did you know that the Dark Lord wasn't here!"

Hermione saw the raw fury growing in Lucius, his jaw was set, his usually silver eyes, now as dark as a raging storm, flashed like lightning in the dark sky when he shot her a fleeting glare. He had begun to pace the pergola as he awaited the older man's answer. She was sure if he didn't calm down soon things would get out of hand quickly.

Dumbledore simply looked at him and smiled. "We have eyes on the Manor. I was aware of where you were and that the two of you were alone," he explained. "We wanted to ensure your-"

Lucius cut over him before he could finish. "Eyes! You have people on my property without my permission!" He growled his face twisted with fury. He had stopped pacing by now and was nearly nose to nose with Dumbledore, though the older man simply stood stoically and clearly unmoved by the outburst.

"We thought the two of you could use an extra layer of protection," he defended his actions with a condescending tone.

Hermione scoffed at the old man's words, but Lucius spat out, "No, you didn't have faith in my ability to keep her safe so you thought you'd put a fucking spy on my own property! How did you get them past my wards? Did you think I would hurt her? Did you think I would actually go against the fates?" Lucius jabbed his wand under Dumbledore's chin.

"Lucius, please calm down," Hermione said quickly as she stepped up quickly and put a gentle hand on Lucius' wand hand, urging him to lower it. As angry as she was at the presumption of Albus Dumbledore, she recognized that hurting the man would not further their situation. "It's not worth it," she whispered softly as she gingerly tried to place herself between her former Headmaster and her soul mate.

He looked between her and Dumbledore clearly conflicted about what he wanted to do. He lowered his wand and turned from them. "Lucius, I understand why you are angry, but please let's at least hear him out," she said as she whipped around to face Dumbledore, her eyes narrowed at him. She was upset and angry that her old headmaster would ruin their beautiful day. And for him to show up unannounced, with information that he had been spying on them was just dangerous for the old man's health. But she also knew that if she didn't stop Lucius, Dumbledore would probably not leave the property alive. "Then we can-"

"Fine," Lucius grunted cutting over her. "But he must take his _eyes_ with him when he leaves," Lucius hissed as he sat and conjured a third chair. "Mipsy," he ordered. Hermione followed his lead and sat, as did Dumbledore as he nodded his agreement of Lucius' demand.

With a pop, the tiny elf appeared in front of them and bowed, "Master calls Mipsy? How can I helps?" she asked.

"We require another place setting," he told her sharply.

With another bow she disapparated and only moments later was back with another set of dishes for Dumbledore to use, then disapparated once more without a word after setting them properly in front of him.

"So sir, why are you here? Has something happened? Is there news? We expected a Patronus not a personal appearance. We thought you'd think it too dangerous with _him_ breathing down our necks." She looked at Dumbledore and took a deep breath, as she finally realized she'd said everything in one breath.

"I understand the present danger but to send a Patronus would have not given enough information. We have received intelligence that Voldemort will be using Draco against you, Lucius. As a way to," he paused momentarily as if to think of his words carefully, "keep you in line. The informant says that Voldemort is growing leery of your relationship with Hermione and that is the reason for his visit. You must be prepared. You must convince him that your relationship is as it was meant to be. A master with possession of a slave."

Hermione shuddered at his words though she knew them to be true. She hated the life they were forced to live. A single tear slid down her cheek as she stared at her untouched plate.

"I am aware that we need to be prepared, Dumbledore. I have been teaching her Occlumency since she arrived. She's getting better. I fear, though, that the Dark Lord will see through her false memories. She hasn't had enough time to build good ones and still shows too much emotion when she forces them to the surface."

She felt as if she were listening from afar, not sitting right next to them. Hermione felt her gut clenched in fear of what Voldemort might see. He could kill her on the spot, or worse kill Lucius while she watched, then keep her alive so she'd suffer the loss of him. No, she was certain he'd kill them both.

"Give this to her. Before the meeting I mean. It will help her to believe her own false memories for a short time so Voldemort can believe them too," Hemione heard this still through distant ears. Her mind was racing with the million different scenarios that could go wrong during their meeting with Voldemort. Neither man had noticed that she'd begun trembling until tears streamed down her face.

She felt a hand brush up her arm and settle on her shoulder. "Hermione?" She heard Lucius, and he sounded like he was underwater. She continued to stare at her plate, her mind too far away for her to respond. He shook her gently. "Hermione, are you alright?" His voice came in clear, and her head snapped up to look at him.

"Huh? Oh, yes I am fine," she told him feigning a smile, "Where's Professor Dumbledore?" she continued in mild bewilderment.

He looked at her questioningly, "He left. Don't try and change the subject. You're a terrible liar, you know. What were you thinking about?" He asked softly as he drew her nearer to him.

"I was thinking about the many ways in which we could get maimed or killed if I fail when _he_ shows up here," she answered him grimly.

"My love, please don't think like that. Had you been actually listening to what Albus and I were saying you would have heard that he's just given me a potion that will help you to believe your own false memories for a short time, so that when the Dark Lord is here he can believe them too."

Hermione looked both awestruck and horror stricken. "But I never want to actually believe you would do those things to me!" she shouted, as she abruptly pulled away from him.

"Hermione the effect will wear off, and you will remember they are false memories. It is only temporary," Lucius drawled apparently becoming bored with the theatrics of the conversation.

Hermione sighed in resignation. She knew they had to do something if they were to succeed. She sat back in her chair and finally began to eat her lunch in silence.

After hours of convincing, Lucius managed to convince Hermione things would be alright and that the plan that lay ahead was a solid one. He had invited her to join him for dinner, however she opted to take her dinner in her room and spend some time alone so she could think. He walked her to her room, bid her a good night with a gentle kiss, then ordered Mipsy to deliver their dinner plates to their respective rooms.

While he waited to eat, he decided to shower and prepare for bed. He turned on the tap and vanished his clothes to the laundry. Lucius stepped into the tub and slid into the steaming, hot stream of water. He let out a sigh of comfort as the heat relaxed his muscles.

"This has to work," he whispered to himself quite unconvincingly. "It will work," he spoke much more forcefully this time.

Though he was certain they could pull off this meeting with the Dark Lord with no problem, there was still a small sliver of worry. They were the same worries that Hermione had brought to his attention earlier in the afternoon and didn't stop reminding him of throughout the afternoon. If the Dark Lord did catch them, the consequences would be dire.

He sighed and finished up in the shower. Lucius turned off the tap and stepped out onto the rug. He crossed the room, naked, preferring to air dry, and sat in the chair in front of his awaiting dinner. Mipsy, he knew, had magically charmed it to keep hot while he'd been in the shower.

Lucius ate his dinner of roast beef and steamed vegetables, and when he was finished Mipsy appeared with a slice of chocolate cake and a cup of cocoa.

He looked at his desert and noticed that it was all chocolate. "Chocolate, she knows I am tense." He smiled inwardly at the thoughtfulness of the elf. Since the day she'd found out chocolate foods calmed him, Lucius could not be anxious in his own home without the elf trying to settle him with some form of chocolate. It nearly always worked too.

The sun had long set before he dragged his weary body to his bed.

Lucius laid awake in his bed for hours staring out into the dark window. It seemed to him like he'd never sleep again. He'd been laying there for ages when a scream came from the darkness down the corridor. It was Hermione, and she sounded hysterical. He bolted out of his bed and into the corridor. Lucius rushed down the hall and slammed her door wide open and hurried to her side, "Hermione. Hermione wake up. You're having a nightmare," He spoke softly. Lucius placed his hands on either side of her sweat soaked face.

Hermione's thrashing body immediately calmed at his touch. "Lucius?" She whimpered.

"You were having a nightmare. Are you alright?" He asked her as he sat beside her. He wrapped his arms around her tightly.

Hermione nodded against his chest and looked up at him through tear stained eyes.

"Do you need anything? I can have Mipsy bring you a dreamless sleep potion." He offered her.

"Nothing like that," she answered softly.

"Anything, you name it and you'll have it."

"You. I'd feel much better if you would stay with me tonight."

Lucius smiled down at the beautiful witch and laid down on the bed with her head still on his chest. "As you wish."

Neither spoke for several minutes, the lulling sound of gentle rain tapping against the window almost put Lucius back to sleep but the nightmare that plagued his witch still had her shaking. He tightened his arms around her, tucked her riotous curls beneath his chin and closed his eyes.

"Please don't let them register me like an animal," Hermione spoke softly against his shoulder.

Lucius could feel the wetness from her tears on his bare skin, he could hear the desperation in her voice. There was no way he was ever going to let anyone brand her a monster, he knew monsters and she certainly was not one.

"I am not going to let that happen, love."

He felt her nuzzle closer to him as he allowed his calming magic to envelop the both of them. Her shaking calmed and her breathing slowed. As he held her tight, the humming of their magic calmed him into a peaceful and restful sleep.

**~~A/N: Hey ya'll sorry for the long hiatus. Life got in the way, but I hope to finish this soon.~~**


	13. The Bond

Lucius woke early the next morning to the sound of a pop of elf apparition. He knew it was Mipsy but was curious as to why she would be in Hermione's room. Opening his eyes he saw the tiny elf standing on the bed, leaning over Hermione's sleeping form, her face near his. Lucius spoke before she had the chance. "Bloody hell elf, get off the bed before you wake Hermione." he hissed with venom.

The small elf turned and mumbled under her breath as she climbed back down off the bed, as Lucius obliviously unwound himself from the arms of his witch. "What could you possibly want this early Mipsy?" Lucius ground out frustrated.

Mipsy bowed so low that her nose nearly touched the floor. "Master, Mipsy only came to tells you, there is a visitor in your office."

Lucius' face drained of all colour, his stomach twisted in anxiety. "Who is the visitor?" he growled through gritted teeth in a desperate attempt to keep quiet and not alarm Hermione.

Lucius watched as Mipsy cowered away from him. "T-the D-dark Lord," she stuttered.

Lucius inhaled sharply. "Inform him that I'll be there shortly," he said as he bolted quickly from the bed summoning clothes from his wardrobe. "Hermione! Wake up!" He urged her with desperation in his tone.

She rolled over and looked at him in confusion. He knew she could feel the frantic static of his magic. "What's going on?" She asked.

"You have to get dressed **now**!" He urged, throwing one of the ugly black dresses from her wardrobe at her as he slid his pants up over his hips, buttoned them quickly, and swiftly began work on his white button up shirt.

He watched as realization dawned on her face at their dire situation, and she quickly jumped out of bed and shakily put on her dress. "Lucius?" She asked meekly.

"Yes?" He responded quickly as he stopped tying his shoes.

"Can you please zip me up?" Her face was flushed with fear; he could feel it vibrating off of her.

"Of course, love," he stood behind her and zipped the back of her dress as he leaned into her ear and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Steady yourself. We're going to be just fine," he spoke quietly as he turned her around in his arms, the lack of space between causing her to crane her neck to look into his eyes, he leaned down and kissed her. "You can do this. Here take this." He handed her the potion from Dumbledore.

Hermione nodded her head, downed the potion as fast as she could and schooled her face into a blank stare. Then almost instantaneously his demeanor changed. His face turned stone cold and he grabbed her roughly by the arm and dragged her to the door. He waved his wand and magically righted his clothes. Lucius threw the door open and pulled her down the hall and to his office. He had to lift her several times on the way because her shorter legs couldn't keep up with his long strides.

Lucius opened the door to his office and pushed her through the door roughly. She landed hard on her knees beside him, "Sorry for your wait, my Lord. I did not expect you for another few days," he said with a low bow as they entered.

"Yes, well I was so intrigued by her and was eager to see how well you'd broken her," Lord Voldemort hissed, his tone so icy it sent shivers down both their spines.

"Yes my Lord. She's at your disposal."

"Leave us," Voldemort commanded Lucius.

Hermione's heart thrummed in her ears as she felt Lucius leave the room and heard the click of the door as he shut it behind him.

She sat on her knees on the floor staring at the design on the rug, terrified to even look away from it, but not at all paying any attention to what it truly looked like.

"Up!" Voldemort shouted, effectively startling her from her thoughts. She stood quickly, but her eyes never left the spot on the floor.

She felt the sting of him entering her mind, and she allowed every fake memory she'd built flood to the surface and hid away anything that he could use against them.

He watched as she cleaned the house much like a house elf, then was punished for failing to do so to Lucius' standards. He shifted through her mind as Lucius beat her senseless and sent her to the dungeons for three days with no food when she fell out of line.

She also showed herself begging Lucius for forgiveness, telling him she'd do better. And she showed Voldemort her following the orders he was giving her, to his standards.

Lord Voldemort finally pulled out of her mind staring at her tear stained face, "Ah, he's done well. So, how does it feel to be broken Mudblood?"

"I live to serve my master, sir," she said lifelessly.

"Good," he hissed as he swiftly walked out of the room.

As the door slammed shut, Hermione fell to the floor sobbing, as relief flooded her heart. They were safe, at least for now.

Lucius rushed back into his office only moments after he'd watched his master disapparate from his lounge. The evil man had spoken very little about his time with Hermione. He dropped to his knees beside his now sobbing witch and pulled her into his arms. "I'm sorry you had to endure that so soon, or at all for that matter. I promise it'll all be over soon." He placed his hand under her chin and lifted her face to look at him. "The plan will work. We have to focus on that."

He could feel her tears as they soaked into his shirt. "I know, it's just so hard to imagine you doing such horrible things to me. I can't wait until we don't have to hide in the shadows any longer."

He pulled her closer. "I know, love, I know." He held her until she finally felt like she was ready to move and then helped her to her feet. "Let's get you properly dressed for the day." Lucius smiled at her leading her back toward her room. In a flash he pulled her flush to his chest, kissed her passionately, and he apparated them to her room.

They arrived in her room with a crack. The soul bond was pulling at him, causing him to want her more than ever before. He crashed his lips on hers once more and listened as she whimpered with pleasure. It seemed she felt the pull too. Lucius unzipped the ugly black fabric of her dress as she shrugged it off her shoulders and allowed it to fall to the floor. He lifted her up, and she wrapped her legs around his waist just as her lips came crashing down onto his own.

Lucius wound his hand into her wild curls and deepened the kiss as he walked them to the bed and gently laid her down. He lay between her spread legs, chest to chest. He leaned down next to her ear. "Are you sure you're ready?" He questioned.

He felt the gentle hum of her magic as she nodded and reached up and started unbuttoning his shirt. "I've never wanted anything more in my life." Her voice was so tantalizing he could hardly contain himself; however he wanted her to set the pace and never push her further than she was willing to go. He shrugged his shirt off tossing it to the floor with her dress. Lucius leaned down and kissed her deeply lifting her slightly as he made short work of her bra. Their magic mingled in the air, almost like a blanket covering them.

Hermione giggled as he slid the offensive garment off her shoulders and down her arms then threw it on the floor to join the slowly growing pile of clothes. He sat back up to admire the amazingly beautiful witch before him. "Hermione, you look exquisite," he marveled.

Her face turned eight shades of pink. Lucius leaned back down and kissed her neck leaving small love bites. He kissed his way down to her collar bone and onto her chest. He took one of her breasts in each of his hands playing gently with them as she'd begun to squirm beneath him. Lucius pulled one of her nipples into his mouth, and she arched her back moaning softly. Her eyes were closed, but he knew she was enjoying it. He could hear her magic humming with each of his gentle touches. He released her nipple and continued kissing down over her stomach and then her hips until he'd reached the edge of her knickers.

He curled his fingers around the material, but he stopped when he felt her tense up the moment he had begun to pull. A glance up to her face allowed him to see her nerves. She took a deep shaky breath, then nodded her head as she lifted her rear to help him remove yet another offending garment, discarding it on the floor.

Lucius moved back up so his face hung over her once more. His lips found hers with ease as his hand ran gently across her already hot, wet folds. He felt her sigh beneath him as she started to squirm at his touch. He allowed his middle finger to find her clit and he started to run small circles around it. He felt her shudder under him as his dexterous fingers started to move faster.

"Do you like that, _my _brave witch? You do don't you? You like my fingers on you and in you, giving you the pleasure you crave."

Lucius slipped his finger inside her, giving her a moment to adjust when he heard her gasp at his sudden entrance.

"Oh, Merlin…," she gasped.

He kissed her deeply as he thrust his finger inside her, feeling her tighten around him. Adding another finger, the look on her face was breathtaking. She was in ecstasy. He looked down just as she climaxed and watched as her juices flow down his hand. His already painful erection grew in strength, and his groan matched hers as he watched her walls milk his fingers. He wanted to be inside her.

"Beautiful," he muttered as her orgasm intensified. She was holding fistfuls of the silk bed sheets, her head bouncing side to side and her hair, wet with perspiration, was sticking to her forehead. She was lost in his ministrations, lost to the incredible sensation that just his fingers induced. It had never felt this way before, Ron's idea of sex was a quick romp and he was done.

"Lucius," she moaned. Hermione arched her back as wave after wave of pleasure rolled through her nerve endings. Lights exploded behind her eyes, and her head felt dizzy.

He watched her lay there breathing heavily, her body still squirming as she came down off the high he'd given her. With a silent wave of his hand he'd vanished his trousers to the floor.

"Oh, we are far from finished, my dear," Lucius chuckled as he wrapped her left leg around his waist and hooked her right leg over his shoulder.

He looked down into her chocolate brown eyes, her hair fanned across the bed, her small frame still shaking, wrapped around him. "Tell me you want this- you want me, or I will stop, Hermione."

"Of course I do, Lucius." Hermione smiled at him.

"Thank Merlin," he muttered as he slid into her.

"Oh my…" Hermione gasped. She had never felt so full, yet so complete.

Magic began to swirl around them, flashes of lights exploded, glass shattered and the foundation of the building shook.

"Merlin and Morgana!" Lucius shouted. He felt her magic piercing his skin. It was a warm embrace yet cold and unyielding- the perfect blending, swirling and mixing of magical cores. Time ceased to spin as their bodies joined in the age old dance.

"Faster," Hermione moaned as she clawed at his shoulders and arms.

Lucius quickened his pace. He grabbed her wrists and slammed them against the bed above her head.

"Keep them there," he commanded.

Hermione stared at him.

"Say it."

"Yes," she stammered.

"Yes, what, Hermione," Lucius purred as he leaned down to whisper against her ear.

"Yes, I will keep them there."

Lucius smiled against her neck, raised himself back up and began to pound into her relentlessly. "You are _mine,_ witch. MINE!"

"Yes, oh Gods, yes! I am yours, Lucius!" Hermione squealed as wave after magnificent wave of pleasure tore through them both.

"No one is ever going to harm you again. No one is ever going to take you away from me, Hermione! I love you, gods I love you so much!" Lucius slowed his speed and leaned his arms on either side of her head and burrowed his large hands into her sweaty curls.

"I love you too, Lucius." She managed to say in between lungfuls of air, as her body began to spasm.

"Beautiful," Lucius said, mesmerized by the intense look on Hermione's face even as his own orgasm overtook him. Lucius collapsed on top of her and held her as he breathed heavily. He closed his eyes and listened to his fascinating witch enjoy the last of her orgasm. He smiled into her matted, sweat soaked mess of hair, the room smelled of sex, magic and peace; a peace Lucius had never known before and one he would never willingly give up.

Lucius heard a sound just outside the door only moments before it exploded into millions of tiny pieces and covered them in shards of sharp wood. He took no time training his wand on the ruined door, Hermione following suit beside him, covering herself the best she could.

They only stared at the darkened door for a short moment before Draco strutted in the room his wand pointed at them with deadly intent. "What the bloody hell is going on here!" he demanded.

"What are you doing here?" Lucius questioned defensively.

"What else would I be here for, father? The Dark Lord was unimpressed by her display of subjugation, and decided to send me to ensure things were still going the way he had ordered. And this, this is what I fucking find! You shacking up with her! A fucking M-"

"If you utter one more syllable of that word boy so help me I will hex you into next week," Lucius hissed. He simply couldn't stand that foul word. It wasn't true, not for her or anyone else.

"Will you fucking answer my question?" Draco raged.

"Draco, please calm down and listen we-" Hermione tried to defend.

"No one was talking to you, Mudbl-" Draco interrupted her.

"Draco Lucius Malfoy! You will watch your tongue boy!" Lucius shouted.

Lucius watched as his son recoiled at the use of his full name. He knew he'd made Draco feel as if he were a child once more. Lucius could see Draco's eyes darting between himself and Hermione as if he were deciding what to do. Lucius, despite his anger with his son, projected his happiness with Hermione through his magical bond with his son.

He heard Draco sighed, "I'll listen, just explain to me what's happening. I need to understand."

Lucius looked at Hermione who nodded back at him, and with a grin on his face he explained, "We are soul bonded Draco. Have been since the day she was born. I didn't feel the pull until I met her at Flourish and Blotts the summer of your second year and since then the pull has only intensified. Until the day she was thrust into my lap by the Dark Lord. And that was the day I was determined we'd be together forever, safe."

Draco stared at them momentarily. "And how in Merlin's name do you expect to do that?" He inquired snarkily.

"That depends, Draco," Lucius stated, his face falling serious once more.

"Depends on what, father?"

"It depends on where your loyalties truly lie, son."

"You are first my father and always my father. I will always fight by your side no matter the cause or cost, sir," Draco bowed slightly showing his true respect for the man who raised him.

"Good, then we have much to discuss. But, not right now." Lucius smiled at his son.

"Draco please come to dinner tomorrow night." Hermione requested.

Draco nodded before he disapparated.

"You realize that was entirely too easy, Lucius," Hermione sighed.

Lucius reached over and cupped Hermione's cheek turning her face to look at him. He kissed her passionately, pulled away slightly and whispered, "It seems to me, my beautiful witch, that our lives will always be riddled with danger and prejudice but will be completely forever fascinating."

**~~ Hey guys! I thought I'd give you a special surprise! Hope you enjoyed it! Be back soon.~~**


	14. Tattling

Tattling

Lucius sat in his study reading over a few missives. He'd been awaiting the arrival of Antonin Dolohov. An owl had arrived the night before informing Lucius that Dolohov would be arriving by floo at eight tonight. Lucius had sent Hermione to bed, telling her that under no circumstances was she to come down. She'd kissed him sweetly and went to bed without another question.

Lucius knew if she needed him, he'd feel it, so he wasn't worried.

The fire roared to life with green flames. Lucius looked up from his missive and placed it on the desk as Dolohov, a man he had once called a friend, stepped through the fire and into his study.

"Late as usual, Dolohov," Lucius chided as he stood to greet the pale faced, dark haired wizard.

"I apologize for my lateness. My assignment took much longer than expected," Dolohov explained.

Lucius nodded his head in understanding, truly not wanting to know what his assignment consisted of, but he had a feeling that Dolohov would regale him nonetheless. "You see the Dark Lord sent me to find the Weasley family."

"I see. And?" Lucius asked. During the meeting in the Forbidden Forest with Potter and Dumbledore, Lucius had seen most of the Weasley family, and knew they were hiding along with much of what was left of the Order.

"We caught the eldest Weasley, as well as the Weasley girl." Dolohov boasted indifferently.

"I'm sure the Dark Lord was satisfied by this?" Lucius pressed.

"He would have had the girl been unharmed, but she put up a hell of a fight." He reminisced. "I ended up having to hit her with _my_ spell to subdue the pair of them and stop the fight." he explained his menacing look toward the door made Lucius cringe inwardly, "Needless to say," Dolohov said as he turned his attention back to Lucius, "They were both injured in the process."

Disgust filled him because he, at one time, behaved and spoke the same as this filthy excuse for a human. Now he worried for his mate and her friends. Though he wasn't sure how close Hemione was to the girl Weasley.

Lucius had been so deep in thought that he'd almost missed Dolohov asked. "So, how's having the Mudblood for a slave?" The man had asked it so casually that it made Lucius' skin crawl.

Caught off guard, Lucius cleared his throat and answered, "She can be difficult at times, but for the most part she follows orders well. It took time, but she does well on her knees, if you understand my meaning. Fire whiskey?" Lucius asked, hating the words that he spoke but also knew they were necessary. He watched Dolohov's face, hoping he'd done a good enough job convincing him he'd broken Hermione.

Dolohov grinned and nodded. Lucius opened his whiskey cabinet and pulled out a bottle of his finest fire whiskey along with two glasses and poured a generous amount in both. Lucius handed a glass to Dolohov and took a long swig.

For hours he listened as Dolohov excitedly told him stories of the assignments the Dark Lord had sent him on and all the crude and violent things Dolohov had done over the last six months. Lucius did his best to seem attentive and interested, though he wanted the man to leave his home.

Lucius had poured the last of the fire whiskey into Dolohov's glass when a sudden pang hit him. The sound of glass hitting the floor rang through the otherwise silent Manor. Something was wrong. His heartbeat quickened. How was he to check on her without arousing suspicion? Both men's attention was now focused on the door.

"I wonder what that was. I'll be right back." Lucius stood his face still cold and indifferent. His heart knew something was wrong with his witch, and he needed to check on her. He walked out of the room and headed to her room.

"Mipsy," he said sharply.

The small elf appeared a short distance behind him. She stumbled to keep up with his long strides. "Master calls Mipsy?"

"Dolohov is in my study. I would like you to keep him there. Don't let him leave the confines of the study," he ordered.

The small elf finally stopped trying to keep up with him and bowed, disapparating away to tend to his guest, as she usually did when he had to step away.

Lucius ran up the stairs to their bedroom to check on Hermione. When he arrived, she was not asleep on her side of the bed where he had expected to find her. Panic filled him as he walked around the bed and found her on the floor, sobbing. Shattered glass and water surrounded his beloved. He fell to his knees beside her. "Hermione? Are you alright?" He asked her softly.

"I think so," she answered in a trembling voice as she looked up at him, her eyes still full of tears.

He noticed a deep gash on her forehead. "Darling what happened?" he asked with concern in his tone as he picked her up from the floor, walked away from the glass, and set her on her feet. He braced her with one arm and used the other to brush the glass out of her hair and off her clothes. He then lifted her back up bridal style and placed her gently on the bed.

"I had a nightmare. I guess I threw myself out of bed and knocked my water to the floor," she answered softly.

"Yes, I can see that. You must've also hit your head on the table," he said as he stood and crossed the room to the bathroom. He opened the cabinet above the sink and pulled out a salve that would help her heal quickly and eliminate any pain she'd experience. He grabbed a washcloth and wet it at the sink. He returned to her and sat softly on the bed. "Let me see," he said as he brought the cloth to her head and started to clean the wound. She hissed in pain as he did, but he said nothing. She was entitled to her reaction. He placed the cloth on the bedside table and put some of the salve in a thick layer over the wound. "There that should help."

"Thank you, Lucius." she said as she smiled at him before curling back beneath the covers. "See you in a bit?"

He nodded in response to her question. He was ready to be in bed with his witch, but first he needed to deal with Dolohov. Lucius turned and headed back downstairs in the direction of his study.

As she arrived in her master's study, Mipsy noticed that her master's guest bore the Dark Mark like he did. She kept quiet as she crept through the large room toward the whiskey cabinet. She pulled a bottle out and began to fill his glass. Distracted by a sound, Mipsy accidentally spilled some on Dolohov's hand.

"Oi! Watch it elf!" Dolohov shouted at her.

Mipsy trembled as she quickly placed the bottle on the desk and pulled a rag from her ratty old dress and tried to wipe his hand dry. He snatched it quickly from her and slapped her halfway across the room.

"So sorry, Sir. Master will be back shortly," she assured him as she started to clean the desk free of the spilled whiskey.

Mipsy saw the man glaring at her. "So, elf," he hissed. "What's it like for you? Forced to work with the Mudblood?"

The question sparked anger in Mipsy. Her master hadn't been himself since the filthy Mudblood had showed up. She hated her and wanted nothing more than to see her gone. "First she takes our work, then she takes our master," she blurted out.

Dolohov's face screwed up, another question on his lips. Mipsy realized her mistake. She had failed her master. She had told this man that her master, a pureblood, was treating a Mudblood well. Mipsy rushed to the fireplace. "I..." she sobbed as she stuck a hand deep into flames for only a moment before she was snatched off the floor and held eye level to Dolohov, his wand pressed deep into her throat.

"What do you mean, she stole your master?" he ground out through gritted teeth.

The tiny elf's wide teary eyes stared at him as she struggled with herself not to elaborate on the subject. The tip of his wand heated up burning into her flesh. Mipsy yelped loudly before she squeaked out, "They has gotten close. She no longer works. Master even dressed her up and took her out." Mipsy explained and continued to struggle in the strong wizard's hand.

Dolohov sneered as the door to the study opened. "I'm sorry f-" Lucius began as his eyes fell upon his guest and his house elf. His face grew dark. "Is there a reason you are manhandling my elf?"

Dolohov lowered the elf to the floor. "She spilled whiskey on me. I was just reprimanding her."

Lucius set his jaw as Mipsy hid behind his leg. "I think we should call it a night. I have a long day ahead of me tomorrow."

Dolohov's face was set in an unreadable expression. He nodded and crossed the room to the fireplace. He pulled his pouch of floo powder out and shouted his destination. "See you soon old friend," he sneered as he stepped into the green flames and was gone.

Lucius turned to his cowering elf. "What the devil happened?"

"Mipsy spilled whiskey on Masters friend," Mipsy responded shakily.

He growled in frustration and strode out of the room leaving a seething Mipsy to clean his study and settle the house down for the night. Mipsy went to the fire and held her hands in the flames until they were burned almost to the bone. She didn't allow herself to yelp in pain but took the punishment willingly. She had failed her master, but if it got rid of the mudblood, it was worth it.


End file.
